Shantae: Tangled Tales
by RileyAraWrites
Summary: As Shantae searches for a lost friend, an even greater mystery creeps up from under the surface of Sequin Land. Art & logo by @PotterzillaS. [I do not claim any ownership over the Shantae series.]
1. Prologue

**~ ~ ACT I: THE DARKEST NIGHT ~ ~**

Prologue

Far below the streets of Scuttle Town, Mimic continued to trudge his way through the dark caverns—alone. He stopped for a moment, attempting once more to wrangle in the heavy mess of metal wires and tubing he carried. While Mimic's trek started with the long pieces of scrap metal neatly draped over his shoulder, they soon coiled themselves around him in a tight embrace, making it harder and harder for him to move. But, through pig-headed determination, Mimic managed to make it to his destination.

There, at the cavern's end, stood a spire of glowing, white crystal that stretched from the bottom of a shallow pond all the way up to the ceiling far overhead.

Mimic shook himself free of his metal bonds, letting them crash to the stone floor. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he stared up at the wondrous sight before him. Mimic nearly lost himself in its comforting glow before being interrupted by the sound of shuffling feet reverberating through the cavern.

Mimic tensed up as he waited for the source of the noise to come into view. Slowly, from the shadows, approached a tinkerbat. It glared unflinchingly at Mimic until it noticed the mound of scrap metal and tools piled on the ground. The tinkerbat shuffled over to the mound and began inspecting each item closely.

Mimic sighed. "It's all there," he said.

Ignoring Mimic, the tinkerbat continued its inspection until each and every piece of the pile had been thoroughly scrutinized. Then, with narrowed eyes, the tinkerbat turned back to glare at Mimic once more.

"If that's all settled then," said Mimic, "can we get this over with?"


	2. Tale 1: Sharks and Minnows

**[Spoiler Warning:** This story makes reference to the plot of the first four games in the _Shantae_ series, including **major spoilers** for _Risky's Revenge_ and _Pirate's Curse._**]**

**"Sharks and Minnows"**

With eyes closed, Shantae danced her way up the Scuttle Town streets to a beat silent to all but her.

She twisted and twirled, oblivious to the sideways glances of each passerby, until she reached the edge of town where a rickety wood bridge stood between her and her lighthouse home. When she finally opened her eyes, Shantae was greeted by clear sky and sparkling ocean that met at the serene horizon.

Taken by the beauty of her view, Shantae almost failed to notice the zombie clinging to the window above the door of her lighthouse.

_"Rottytops!" _Shantae shouted.

Startled, the zombie tumbled backwards. She landed lying face-up on the dirt path just in front of the lighthouse steps. By the time Rottytops regained her senses, Shantae was standing over her with arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed.

"What's the big idea?" Rottytops said with a pout as she clambered back to her feet.

_"Big idea!?_ You were just trying to break in to my house!"

"You've never had a problem with it before!"

"I never knew there _was a before!"_

"What? How could you not remember?" Rottytops trailed off into thought for a moment. "Oh! I know!" she said, bouncing on her toes, "it's because I broke in _when you were asleep!"_ She laughed, unaware of Shantae's glare. "So, _of course_ you wouldn't remember! That makes sense now."

Shantae closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm just going to pretend I never heard that." She shook her head before looking up at the window above her lighthouse door. "Why were you trying to get into my place anyway?"

"To see what kind of goodies you've got hiding from me in there, of course! Like that old oil lamp I saw through the window . . ." Rottytops said with a devilish grin, "I could use it to make you my very own Genie! Wouldn't that be fun?"

"Don't joke about that, Rotty! It's not funny . . . and the Lamp doesn't work that way on half-Genies, so tough cookies . . ."

"Oh, man . . . I could've wished for a never-ending supply of brains . . . _the smart ones, too!_ Those are the juiciest . . ."

"OK, gross. How about we settle for a nice cup of coffee? I stocked up on some Sequin Land Select Dark Almond Roast—all for you! Because I'm just that good of a friend."

"Coffee? Nah," Rottytops said, looking down at her feet.

"Seriously? I've _never_ heard you turn down coffee before. Are you sick or something? Do zombies even get sick?"

Rottytops gasped. "No, I think you're right!" She slumped back to the ground dramatically. "Oh! Help me! I'm dying . . . _again!_ Dying of boredom! Entertain me, Genie girl! It's the only . . . way to . . . save me . . ."

Shantae rolled her eyes but couldn't stop herself from giggling at the sight of her undead friend playing dead. "Unfortunately," Shantae said as she pulled Rottytops to her feet, "I'm just as bored as you. Things have been as dull as dirt since Uncle's been away . . ."

Rottytops cocked her head to the side. "Away? What do you mean?"

"He's been on an expedition, and he's not coming back until next week."

"Really?" said Rottytops, resting her chin on her hand, "that's strange. Because I could've _sworn_ I saw the old man in town yesterday . . ."

"What? Yesterday?"

"Yup. In the Item Shop. Talking to the Item Shop Guy."

"That's—that can't be. Are you sure—"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Your uncle isn't exactly difficult to pick out of a crowd, you know."

"But . . . why would he not . . . come see me?" Shantae said. For a moment, her pointed ears drooped just a bit. Then a sudden wave of heat began to spread over her body. Her eyebrows lowered. "He's up to _something_ again. I just _know_ he is!" The heat reached Shantae's head, flushing her face and blurring her vision. With fists clenched, she spoke in a fierce tone that left Rottytops captivated and speechless. _"Every single time_ he goes on an 'expedition,' he comes back thinking he's found _the answer to all of humanity's problems._ But what he's _really_ found is something to _add to _humanity's problems. Like one time, he found blueprints for something called a 'deep fryer.' It was supposed to fry food. Did the one he build fry food? Yes. Yes, it did . . . along with half of the townspeople. And _who_ had to stop it before things got _extra crispy?_ _Me!_ Just like I _have to do_ with every cursed, demonic, mechanical and/or organic monstrosity that he lets loose upon this town!"

"Wow . . ." Rottytops said, staring open-mouthed at Shantae.

Shantae shook her head, forcing the haze to release its hold over her sight. "I-I'm sorry. I don't know what just—"

_"Sorry?_ No, no, no!" Rottytops shouted, waving her hands furiously, "don't be sorry! Don't stop _now!_ I want—_no_, I _need_ more of this!"

"More of what?"

"You. Angry. It's . . . _wonderful."_

"Why do you always have to make things weird? And why are you acting like you've never seen me angry before?"

"Because I haven't. I mean, not _really._ Usually, your anger just makes you look more cute and adorable."

"Cute and—_what?"_ Shantae said, crinkling her face, "I'll have you know that _I_ am a _fearsome warrior!_ I've defeated _lots_ of—of _terrifying beasts!_ Like those crab guys . . . and the . . . starfish-looking . . . things . . . OK, maybe those aren't the _best_ examples. But I am _not_ cute and adorable!"

"Stop kidding yourself! You _know_ you are!"

Shantae threw her hands up. "OK! OK! You're right! I've become _insufferably_ cute and adorable! It's the _worst!_ What do I _do?_ When my uncle shows his face, I want him to _know_ that I'm _mad!"_

"Then you've got to dig down and find that _ugly_ anger! That _strong, raw, stanky _anger!"

"Will you help me? Please? Help me find the _ugly, stanky_ anger!"

"You clearly have it in you already! You showed it just then! All you need is some practice letting it out!"

"Practice, huh? Yeah . . . yeah, all right! Let's do it! What's our plan?"

"Oh, don't you worry about that! I've got the _perfect_ plan, marzipan—"

"Marzipan?"

"Step 1: We find ourselves a suitable test dummy to practice on. Show him who's boss. Step 2: We track down your uncle and corner him! Why should you have to wait to give him a taste of that new brand of _Shantae Fury?"_

"I like everything you just said. But who's a suitable test dummy? Bolo?"

"Too easy. He'd start crying within the first five minutes. No, I've got the perfect dummy in mind—the Item Shop Guy! He was the last person to talk to your uncle, right? So, what better way to practice your anger game then by pressing him for information about Mimic's whereabouts?"

Shantae's eyes narrowed. "Someone should call the Royal Guard. _Because your plan is too good to be legal."_

"What else would you expect from yours truly?" Rottytops said with a wink.

* * *

Rottytops peered out from the alley across the way from the Item Shop. "OK," she said in a whisper, "looks like he's the only one in there. This is perfect!" She turned back to Shantae, grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her dead in the eyes. "Shantae, listen—"

"Why are you so sweaty?" Shantae said, squirming out from Rottytops's clammy hands.

"Forget about that!" Rottytops glowered. "Stop being a butt and let me motivate you!"

"OK. I'm sorry. Please, continue."

Rottytops cleared her throat. "Shantae, you . . . are like a phoenix—well, right now you're more like a dead phoenix—"

"What?"

"You know . . . the ashes and all that? . . . never mind. What I'm _trying_ to say is that you've got to find the phoenix that's, uh . . . inside your . . . heart or whatever._ Let that sucker loose, you know? _It wants to be free and fly around and set things _on fire!_ . . . So, tell me . . . can _you_ be that phoenix, Shantae?"

"Wait—I thought the phoenix was inside my heart? Now _I'm_ the phoenix?"

"It—It's both, OK? It doesn't matter—"

"I'm not the dead one though, right?"

"No! You're the fire—the one that sets things on fire!"

"Oh, I got you. Yeah, I can set stuff on fire if I want."

"Not what I asked. But good enough for me. Let's get this show on the road."

Inside the Item Shop, the owner stood patiently awaiting his next customer. He caught sight of two figures that blotted out the setting sun as they crossed his doorway. Shantae and Rottytops marched forward, shoulder-to-shoulder, until they faced the owner up close.

"You there!" said Rottytops, "Mr. Item Shop Guy!"

"Yes? How can I help you today?" he asked, wearing his trademark smile.

Rottytops laughed. "Help _us?_ The only one here who needs help is _you!_"

"I do?" said the shop owner, blinking, "what do I need help with?"

_"Life!"_ Shantae proclaimed, pointing her finger in the shop owner's face, "because _yours_ is about to get _a lot more_ _icky_ if you don't tell us what we need to know!"

"Is this about the hair conditioner again?" the Item Shop Guy asked with slumped shoulders. "I _really_ can't sell you more than three bottles at a time, Shantae. I have to keep _some_ in stock, or the rest of the town will go unconditioned!"

"Well, I probably have more hair than the rest of the town put together! So, I think I have the right to—" Shantae paused after receiving a nudge from Rottytops. "Oh, sorry. That's, uh, not actually why we're here . . ."

"Tell us what Mimic was up to in here yesterday," Rottytops said with her hands on her hips.

"Mimic?" the Item Shop Guy muttered, scratching his head, "I think . . . he bought some . . . things! Like a bunch of . . . metal . . . things."

Shantae stared blankly at him for a moment. "A bunch of metal things. . . ? Could you maybe be a _bit_ more specific?"

"Well, to be honest, I don't know the names of some of the things I sell . . . a lot of the things I sell."

Suddenly, Rottytops doubled over coughing. The other two looked at her in concern until she popped back up and said, "Oh, sorry. I tend to get sick when I'm around _lies!"_

Shantae's eyes lit up. _"Whoa!"_ she whispered.

"You saw what I did there?" Rottytops said in a raspy voice.

_"Yeah!_ That was _incredible!_ You should be an actor or something! I'm not even joking!"

Rottytops massaged her neck before letting out a short laugh. "I've always imagined myself as a stunt double."

The shop owner cleared his throat loud enough for them to hear. "Uh, am I supposed to be part of this conversation, or—"

"No!" Shantae shot back, "but _now_ you are! So, it's time for _you_ to _cough_—cough up _the truth!_ What's the _real_ deal with these 'metal things,' huh?"

"I'm being honest! I don't know, really! I'm sorry! I draw a blank when it comes to itemization . . . like that—" The Item Shop Guy pointed up at the giant bones of a creature hanging suspended in the air by a series of ropes. _"No_ clue what _that_ thing is . . . or was! Or where it came from! It was just kind of hanging there one day . . ."

Rottytops rolled her eyes. "All right! All right! You probably shouldn't be allowed to sell things to people. We get it! Now, can you at least say where Mimic was going with this junk?"

"He didn't tell me . . ."

"Well, what _did_ he tell you?" Shantae asked with frustration building in her voice, "you had to have talked about _something_ . . ."

"Oh, sure. We talked about the weather for a bit . . . how business has been . . . that sort of deal. He mentioned something about this super-powerful, highly combustible thingy . . . and then he bought his metal stuff and left."

"Wait, back up! A super-powerful _what?"_ Shantae asked, slack-jawed.

"Highly combustible thingy," the Item Shop Guy said, "sounds cool, right?"

_"No!_ It sounds _incredibly dangerous!_ I mean, calling it a 'thingy' kind of undermines the sense of danger a bit . . . but it's _definitely_ _not_ _cool!" _Shantae shouted. "Why didn't you tell _me_—your Guardian Genie—about this, huh?"

"Tell _you?_ Why would _I_ need to tell _you?_ I mean, he's _your_ uncle, right? So, doesn't he tell you about this sort of thing himself?"

The Item Shop owner's words cut into Shantae. Noticing this, Rottytops quickly made her move. _"This is your chance," _she whispered into her ear, _"it's billowing up inside. Don't hold it back! Let it loose! All of it!"_

With Rottytops fanning the flames, Shantae's blood quickly reached a boil. She closed her eyes. Gritted her teeth. And, by the time her eyes opened, so too did whatever kept the anger within her at bay.

"You're right," Shantae said, "he is my uncle. But, no. He doesn't tell me about this sort of thing. He doesn't tell me _just about anything_ as a matter of fact." Shantae's voice steadily grew louder and more tense with each syllable that passed her lips. "Not about the Genies. My mother. My father. Not about these secrets. Like the Lamp . . . _that Lamp . . ."_

Her vision became clouded. She, for a moment, could vaguely sense Rottytops and the Item Shop owner backing away from her. But then, she was alone. Everything around her dissolved behind a thick wall of fog as the heat surged through her veins and the words crept out from somewhere in her mind that she never knew existed.

"Maybe if he'd just told me something—_anything_—about it, I could've found a way . . . maybe I could've stopped it all from happening. All that _pain."_ She pressed a hand against her heart. "Do you—do you know what it feels like to be _ripped apart?_ . . . I do . . . _I can still feel it._ Even after all this time. _I still feel the tear._ It hasn't healed. I don't know if it ever will."

Shantae felt the world begin to spin.

"But he doesn't need to feel guilty. Guilty that _I'm_ paying the price for _his_ secrets. _His_ mistakes. No . . . he doesn't need to. Because I don't _need_ his apologies. I don't _need_ his excuses. _I—I don't need him!"_

The fog wound into a cyclone that spun faster and faster around her. She wanted to run, to make it stop, but that distant corner of her mind had seized all control and kept her anchored in place.

_"I don't need him!_ So—so _why_ am I here? _Why_ do I care what he's doing? _Why_ do I need to tell him how I feel? _Why is he even a part of my life?"_

With those words, a chill ran down her spine, extinguishing all her anger in an instant. The world stopped spinning. Shantae could see again, but her vision remained blurry. She blinked, trying to get a sense of her surroundings. When she did, her eyes first caught sight of the Item Shop owner. Shantae expected to find him staring at her in horror, but to her surprise, he had his gaze fixed on something else. Something behind her. She spun around to see her uncle standing in the doorway.

Shantae froze under his shadow.

"I've never found the words," he said, "words that could possibly describe how amazing you are, Shantae. You deserve a world that's so much better than this. A world without me holding you back. So . . . it's time that I do something right . . . for _you_. . . . It's time that I let you go."

Still petrified, Shantae could do nothing but watch her uncle's shadow fade from view.

* * *

Shantae didn't know how much time had passed before she finally recovered enough feeling to move her body; yet, her head remained numb. She only had the mind to follow her instincts, and her first instinct was to turn back to Rottytops.

But she wasn't there.

"R-Rottytops?" Shantae muttered, spinning about before her eyes finally landed on the shop owner. He recoiled from her gaze. "Where did my friend go?"

"Sh-she ducked out back," he answered, pointing behind him, "she wasn't looking so good, either . . ."

"What—what do you mean?" Shantae asked, pressing both her hands against her head, hoping to push out the fog still clouding her mind. The Item Shop owner said something in response, but the fog was too dense. His words were lost to her. Wasting no more time, Shantae burst out the back door of the shop.

Dusk had fallen, and the streets were now vacant. Only the erratic shuffle of Shantae's footsteps interrupted the silence.

While the image of Mimic's shadow still loomed large, Shantae's mind slowly grew clearer now that her focus was narrowed onto nothing more than finding her friend. To Shantae's surprise, her search didn't last long.

Rottytops was huddled against the wall of a dark alleyway just a few blocks away from the shop.

"Rotty . . . are you okay?" she asked, approaching her slowly.

"That—that was _amazing!"_ Rottytops blurted out in an uneven tone, "you—you did it! You _finally_ let that old man know what's what! It must feel good. It must—it must feel _great."_

Now that she was close enough, Shantae could hear Rottytops gasping for air. Her body, teeming with sweat, trembled without end.

"Rotty—"

"I-I mean you have to see—you have to get it now, right?"

"Get—get what?"

Rottytops finally turned around to face her. As their eyes met, a crescent-shaped smile spread across Rottytops's sunken face. "That . . ." she said, pointing in the direction of the shop, "that back there . . . that's the _real_ you! You've been keeping her locked away all this time! You've got to see that _now,_ right?"

"No," Shantae answered, shrinking back, "no, look, I-I got carried away. I shouldn't have—I didn't mean all that. That's not the real me."

Suddenly, Rottytops's breathing came to a halt. Her smile vanished. "Answer me something . . ." she said, sliding a bit further along the wall to lessen the gap between them, "do you still blame me?"

Shantae fidgeted under Rottytops's stare. "Blame you. . . ? Blame you for what?"

"For what happened . . . with the Lamp. Do you still blame me for what I did, too?"

"The Lamp—oh, no . . . no, Rottytops just because I mentioned it back there doesn't mean—"

Rottytops let out a laugh that quickly turned into deep coughing. She buckled over, nearly collapsing to the ground. Shantae grabbed her to keep her on her feet. "Rotty, I-I don't know what's going on, but something's not right with you! We've got to get you back home and—"

Rottytops pulled herself free from Shantae's grasp and staggered backwards. Leaning on her knees, she glared up at Shantae and spat, "You _can't_ be serious! _After what I did? _You shouldn't _just_ blame me! You should—you should _hate me!"_

"H-Hate you? Rottytops, I don't—"

"You don't hate me? Why? Because you think I was that _sweet-, innocent-_looking human girl with the glasses? That's who you see me as, isn't it?"

Shantae's stomach lurched. "How did you know about—"

"Well, here's the thing . . . I'm _not_ that girl. I'm a _zombie_ . . . a _zombie,_ Shantae. I _eat human flesh._ People _fear me._ They should fear _you, _too." A crooked smile returned to Rottytops's face. She stumbled a few feet closer to Shantae, who then backed away instinctively.

"R-Rotty . . . please—" Shantae said. Her heart raced, head pounding, as burning tears welled up in her eyes.

"You know, I've been thinking," Rottytops said, convulsing as she let a few silent laughs escape, "about before. You said that Lamp can't trap a half-Genie . . . but _they've_ got _you_ trapped . . . under _their_ control. All they have to do is make a wish, and you'll do a cute, little dance for them! No one needs to worry! To take any responsibility for themselves. For their lies. _Their deceit._ Not when that half-Genie girl is there to make it all go away!"

As Rottytops frothed at the mouth, Shantae's fear evaporated. In its place roared a stinging heat. The burning tears, now running down her cheeks, were matched by a burning in her clenched fists that grew hotter by the second.

"So, I guess you're not _really_ any different from a Genie enslaved by some oil lamp. The _only_ difference is that _your_ Lamp happens to be a lighthouse—"

_"Enough!"_ Shantae screamed, sparking her hands aflame, "stop this, Rottytops! Stop it, _right now!"_

Rottytops paused to look at the fire in awe before meeting Shantae's glare once again with a twisted grin. _"Here she is_ . . . just who I've been waiting for!"

Shantae didn't know how to respond. Rottytops, drawn to the flames, inched closer until Shantae held up her fists in warning.

"You can't stay hidden away forever, you know," Rottytops said as her smile slowly faded, "you can try. But deep down—you and I—_we're predators._ Predators who've been forced to play as prey. And what's that gotten us? Looked down upon . . . cast aside . . . _used._ But I . . . _I won't take any more . . ."_ Her eyes bore into Shantae's. _"What's it going to take for you to finally say the same?"_

Shantae broke eye contact with Rottytops to look down at the fire in her trembling hands. By the time she looked back up, the zombie was gone.


	3. Tale 2: Trouble Brewing

**"Trouble Brewing"**

Moonlight snuck through a small window in the dark clouds that seized the skies above Sequin Land. The glare of the moon gently coaxed Poe from his slumber. When Poe found his senses, he realized that he had yet again fallen asleep in the pumpkin patch just outside the grounds where the Zombie Caravan had set up camp.

Poe stared up at the moon, captivated. But before long, his gaze began to wander. He caught sight of three moths dancing in the air nearby. "What are you three doing up so late?" Poe said with a smile. "Come to say goodbye?" He sighed. "I'm going to miss this place. I wish we could stay just a little longer . . ." Poe's eyes drifted back to the sky. The moonlight grew dimmer as the window in the clouds began to shut. "But she's still out there . . . somewhere. And somewhere's not here."

Just as the moon finally surrendered to the clouds, the moths scattered. A sudden chill ran down Poe's spine. He felt the presence of eyes watching him from somewhere behind the cover of the darkness. With his heart racing, Poe clambered to his feet. His eyes darted in every direction. "H-hello?" he called out, "i-is someone there?"

"Hi, Poe."

Poe froze at the sound of the voice. Slowly, he turned around to find a figure standing at the edge of the pumpkin patch. Poe hobbled forward. _"Rot-Rottytops?"_

His sister smiled. "Who else would it be?"

Poe ran to her as fast as he could. He clasped both her hands between his own. _"Rottytops!"_ he said, tears welling in his eyes, "i-it's really you! Me, Abner, the Caravan, Shantae—_everyone_—we've all been looking for you! We never gave up hope. Not for a moment! And—and now you're here! We missed you so much. _So, so much."_

"Poe, why are you crying?" Rottytops said, smiling as she wiped away the tears from under her brother's eyes, "you act like I've been gone for weeks."

"But . . . you _have_ been gone for weeks."

"What—what are you talking about? It was just the other day. I-I was in Scuttle Town . . . with Shantae . . . just the other day."

"Rottytops . . . that was three weeks ago . . ."

_"Three weeks_ . . . no . . . was I—was I really in there for _that long?"_

_"'In there?'_ Where is _'there?'"_

Rottytops broke eye contact. She let out an uneven laugh. "It's . . . kind of hard to explain . . . _out loud,_ that is . . . because it's . . . not _really a place._ It's more like . . . _a lot of places. All at once."_

Poe stared at her blankly.

"I-I knew I wouldn't be able to explain it right. B-but it's wonderful, Poe! You're going to love it! I-I can't wait for you to join. Abner, too. And everyone! That—that's actually kind of why I'm here. I mean, things aren't quite ready yet. But we're close. _Very close._ It's so exciting!"

"Wow . . . that, um . . . that all does sound . . . exciting, I guess . . . uh, anyway . . . why don't we head back to the Caravan, huh? See Abner. Get you some coffee, maybe? I-I made sure no one touched your favorites while you were gone . . ."

"Oh . . . no, Poe. You . . . you really shouldn't be drinking that stuff."

"Coffee?"

"Yeah . . . no . . . coffee. Coffee's not good. It's just not."

Poe hesitated. His smile faded. "What—what are you saying? We _have_ to drink coffee, Rotty. If we don't, we'd end up _turning_ . . . you know . . . turning into those . . . _monsters."_

"They're not _monsters,_ Poe. No, no, no. You see, they're actually really great! They just get . . . _confused._ That's all. But they're not confused anymore. Because they _understand._ I-I helped them understand! Then they helped me! And—and not just the real zombies, either. There are—are so many others . . ."

Poe, holding his elbows tightly at his sides, spoke through shallow breaths. "Rottytops . . . tell me . . . when was the last time you had coffee? It couldn't have been—you couldn't have gone this _whole time_ without coffee . . . _right?"_

"Look, I told you. _It's not good, Poe._ It was stopping me. It's stopping _you. All of you._ It's stopping you from being _who you really are._ It's stopping you from being _free. Free . . . like me!"_

Poe found himself leaning away from his sister. He had no words to respond.

"So, Poe . . . I, um . . . I wanted to tell you—I wanted to let you know that everything . . . everything that's about to happen . . . it might not be . . . _fun._ Not at first. B-but it's the only way."

"What's about to happen?"

"You'll—you'll see," Rottytops said, looking down. "I-I have to go now."

"No . . ." Poe said, shaking his head, "no . . . no, please . . . please, don't go."

"I have to."

"But the others . . . Abner . . . they—"

"I promise we'll all be together again soon," Rottytops said with a smile, _"very soon."_

Suddenly, Poe heard a scream. "What was that?" he asked, looking into the distance. When he turned back, Rottytops was gone. "Rottytops?" Poe shouted, _"Rottytops!"_

Poe spun around, looking for any sign of his sister. Instead, he was met by more screams. They were coming from the direction of the Caravan.

Poe took off toward the screaming, soon to find himself in the middle of chaos. Most members of the Caravan were digging through their belongings, tossing everything aside, in desperate search of something. Others were huddled together, sobbing.

Poe looked on at the scene in horror. He didn't notice his brother standing before him until he grabbed Poe by his shoulders.

_"Poe!"_ Abner shouted, _"Poe! Snap out of it!"_

"Wh-what—What happened?"

"It's gone. The coffee, Poe . . . it's gone. _All of it."_


	4. Tale 3: Chasing Ghosts

**"Chasing Ghosts"**

_Tap! Tap! Tap!_

Sky woke with a start, nearly falling out of her chair. Gazing out the window at the rising sun, Sky realized that she must have once again slept in the back corner of her hatchery all night.

_Tap! Tap! Tap!_

Sky traced the sounds to her front door. Wrench remained on his perch, watching her as she got up and shuffled past the dozens of unhatched eggs that lined the hatchery's walls. After undoing the lock, Sky swung open the door. Outside stood a young zombie girl.

"Oh," Sky said, rubbing her eyes, "hi there! I'm guessing you want to come look at all the pretty eggs, am I right? I usually don't open just yet . . . but for a little cutie like you? I'll make an exception!" Sky stepped aside to let her in, but the girl stayed rooted in place.

Sky's smile slowly faded as she noticed the girl's expressionless face. "Um . . . are you—"

"Coffee," the little zombie girl muttered.

"Coffee? You're asking _me_ for coffee?"

The girl nodded slowly.

"I—sure . . . sure, of course!" Sky strolled over to her cupboard. As she opened it, she said, "Good thing I picked some up yester—"

Sky paused when she realized the coffee wasn't where she left it. She scoured every inch of every shelf, spilling an entire bag of birdseed in the process, but found no coffee. "That's so strange," Sky huffed. "I could've sworn I put it here. I'm sorry . . . if you'll give me a moment, I can go check—"

Sky looked back toward the door. The young zombie girl was gone.

Outside, Sky spotted the zombie girl as she rejoined the few dozen other zombies who roamed the street. They knocked on every door in sight, pleading through tired voices that interrupted the eerie silence hovering over Scuttle Town.

"_Coffee?"_

"_Please . . . have you seen any coffee?"_

"_Could you check again? Please . . ."_

Most of the humans kept off the streets, choosing instead to observe the zombies from behind closed windows.

The only human Sky saw outdoors had just emerged from the Bath House with a slight frown on his face.

"Bolo," Sky called out, "what's happening?"

"I got kicked out again . . ." Bolo said, crossing his arms. "Why did Bathroom Lady like me more when she thought I was a statue . . . ?"

"No, Bolo . . . I meant what's happening _out here_ . . . with all the zombies . . . asking for coffee . . ."

"Oh, that? I don't know."

"It doesn't seem strange to you at all?"

"Well . . . now that you mention it, it does seem a little weird. Are they from the Caravan?"

"Yeah . . . yeah, I think they are," Sky said, focusing on the zombie crowd once again. "And if they're from the Caravan, that means—" Sky paused when her eyes landed on a familiar face.

Abner stood in the middle of the street, leering at all the humans in hiding. He didn't notice Sky and Bolo as they approached.

"Hey, Abner," said Bolo.

Abner didn't respond, continuing to stare elsewhere.

"Abner?" Sky said, waving her hand in front of his face.

Still nothing.

"Abner!" Sky shouted, finally grabbing his attention.

"Wh-What?" Abner said, blinking.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Coffee. We can't find no coffee."

"But Wrench and I just dropped off a whole month's supply for the entire Caravan last week. How—"

"Someone took it all. And not just ours. Everyone's. Everywhere."

Sky shook her head. "That—that's impossible . . ."

"We checked the web. Zombies all over Sequin Land saying the same thing. From every house . . . every store . . . gone. Overnight. And no one knows a thing. Not how it happened. Not who's behind it. Nothing."

Sky's hands dropped to her sides. "How long . . . how much longer do you have until . . ."

"Not long," Abner said with eyes closed, "Poe . . . he's already . . . _not all there._ He couldn't make it into town. Most couldn't."

"Well, don't worry," said Bolo, "me, Sky, and Shantae will find out what's going on!"

Sky examined the crowd. "Where is Shantae, anyway? I thought she was still with all of you . . . ?"

"No, I, um . . ." Abner said, rubbing his forehead, "Shantae . . . she, um . . . she—I know her, right?"

Sky and Bolo exchanged glances. "Yeah," Sky said to Abner, "you know Shantae. Long, purple hair? Half-Genie? Rottytops's friend? She's been with you . . . helping you search for Rotty for almost a month now . . . you've known each other for quite a while. You really can't remember her?"

"I—I don't know . . ."

Bolo's gaze drifted down the street. He tapped Sky on the shoulder. "Do you hear that?"

Sky took a listen. From somewhere nearby, the sound of metal clanging together began to grow louder.

"What is it?" Bolo asked.

Sky's shoulders tightened. "It's the Royal Guard. They're headed this way."

"Why?"

"Us," Abner said. "They're here for us."

A group of Royal Guards, fully armored, marched up the street. As they drew near, the zombies huddled close together, watching the guards anxiously from behind Abner, Bolo, and Sky.

The guards stopped, keeping a twenty-foot gap between them and the zombie people. One guard took a step further, holding up a piece of parchment. "By order of the Sultanna," he shouted, "all zombies in this region must report to Scarecrow Fields _immediately."_

"What's in Scarecrow Fields?" Sky asked.

"This really isn't any of _your_ concern, citizen. But, if you _must_ know, we have set up a camp there for the zombies to stay—_temporarily,_ of course—until the coffee dilemma has been resolved. It's for the safety and comfort of _all_ Sequin Land citizens . . . . Now . . . will all zombies please come with us?"

Sky and Bolo looked to Abner.

Without saying a word, Abner hung his head and began walking toward the guards. The other zombies followed.

Sky and Bolo watched in silence as the guards escorted the zombies out of Scuttle Town.

"We have to help them," Bolo said. "We just have to . . ."

Sky breathed in deep. "Right. Why don't you get a search party together? There's bound to be coffee or clues _somewhere._ I'll start reaching out to my contacts . . . maybe find out where Shantae is while I'm at it."

Bolo nodded. "We can figure this out. I _know_ we can!"

* * *

_Thirty-six hours later . . ._

Sky paced back and forth, glancing every so often at the large map of Sequin Land she hung on the wall of her hatchery.

A messenger bird flew in through the open doorway and landed gently on Sky's shoulder.

"Tell me you have something for me . . . anything . . ." Sky said as she grabbed the small piece of parchment from the bird. It flew off as Sky unfolded the paper and quickly read it over. When she finished reading, she crumpled up the piece of paper and tossed it on the floor where it joined the pile of others just like it. Sky picked up her pen from her desk and drew an X over Cape Crustacean on the map. Red Xs now covered every inch of the mainland and its surrounding islands.

Sky's eyes gravitated to a list of names she pinned next to the map. All the names had been crossed off except for two: Risky Boots and Ammo Baron.

Hearing the familiar flap of Wrench's wings, Sky instinctively held out her arm. Wrench landed on her falconer's glove. When Sky looked at Wrench, he bowed his head. Sky closed her eyes and sighed before crossing out Ammo Baron's name. Her eyes narrowed onto the only name that remained.

"Still no sign of her? Or Shantae?"

Wrench kept his head bowed.

"And where's Mimic? Where does he keep running off to?" Sky tossed her pen to the floor in frustration. She rubbed her free hand across her face. _"What is going on?"_

Wrench lifted his head and spread his wings.

"No, no," Sky said to him, "you've done more than enough for today. You really should get some sleep, Wrench."

Wrench lowered his wings but wouldn't move from her hand.

"Okay . . . I won't make you." Sky gave Wrench a quick peck on the top of his head. "You're too stubborn, you know that?"

"I guess we both are," she said as she glared at the map once more. "I think it's time for us to take another walk . . ."

As soon as Sky stepped foot beyond the Scuttle Town walls, she saw the Royal Guard still blocking the way to Scarecrow Fields. They lined up shoulder-to-shoulder, encircling the location of the zombie camp.

One of the guards stepped forward to meet her. "Didn't I tell you the last time that I was done giving out warnings?" he said.

"Look . . . you don't understand—"

"Oh, I understand. And, honestly, if I had a say, I'd let you past . . . just so I could see the look on your face when the freaks turn, and suddenly those _'friends'_ of yours see _you_ as their next meal."

With each word that passed the guard's lips, the heat flowing through Sky's body grew hotter.

"But unfortunately," he continued, "I have orders. And those orders are to keep the scum in there and pests like _you_ out." The guard stepped closer. "So . . . allow me to say this _one last time:_ You are _not_ getting through us. _Now get lost _before I find an excuse to toss you behind bars."

Sky didn't budge. A grin slowly curled across her face. "Okay . . . I guess I won't go through you." She glanced at Wrench. Wrench lifted off into the air and let out a sharp "caw!" In a puff of white smoke, Wrench transformed. By the time he landed, Wrench stood twice the height of the guard.

The guard stumbled backward and fell. Trembling, he watched, speechless, as Sky hopped on Wrench's back. "But you see," she said to the guard, _"I don't need to go through you."_

They took to the skies, flying over the wall of guards and toward the zombie camp.

* * *

"Okay, let's check here one more time," said Bolo, approaching the fountain that sat at the center of the small district of Scuttle Town that he knew so well. Mimic's Workshop, the Bath House, Sky's Hatchery, the Item Shop, and the Art Gallery formed a half-circle around the fountain.

The Item Shop Guy, the only remaining member of Bolo's search party, shifted in place. "Bolo," he said, "we've checked here five times already. I think it's time I . . . um . . . took a break . . ."

"A break? Yeah . . . okay—_but wait_ . . . that's what all the others said before they left, and they never came back!"

"What? That's . . . that's—I'd _never_ do that, Bolo! I—I'm just . . . um . . . going to head to the item shop across town really quickly . . ."

"But you own an item shop. That one . . . right there. We're standing right next to it. And you're the Item Shop Guy. It's in your name!"

"My name isn't Item Shop Guy. It's—"

"I don't care," said Bolo, "just . . . fine. Whatever. I'll find _all_ the coffee _all_ on my own! I don't need help from you or your stupid face!"

"You think my face is stupid?"

"I _know_ your face is stupid."

As the Item Shop Guy lumbered away, Bolo took a seat on the edge of the fountain and rested his chin on his hands. "Come on," he said to himself. "Think! If I were a coffee bean, where would I go . . . ? Hmm . . . well . . . I'd definitely stay away from people because they'd want to grind me up, blend me with steaming hot water, and drink me. Man . . . being a coffee bean doesn't sound very fun. No wonder they all ran away. I'd run away too if I—_wait_—if I'm trying to catch them . . . _am I the bad guy?"_ Bolo shook his head. "Okay, this is getting weird. I need to stop thinking . . . and start doing!"

Bolo stood up and surveyed the places he already inspected five different times. He sighed. "Unless what I'm doing is just wasting more time . . ."

Just then, out of the corner of his eye, Bolo caught a flash of bright light. The light seemed to have come from the Art Gallery.

Bolo peered around the gallery door. With nothing in sight, he crept inside. He started walking down the hallway, peeking into each of the ten rooms that housed the gallery's art.

"I can't figure this place out," he whispered to himself, "I mean, why are there so many pictures of my friends? And why aren't there more of me?"

After checking the tenth and final door, Bolo noticed that the hallway continued on. "This is new . . . how did I miss this the other five times I checked in here?" He entered the new hallway, surveying its silver walls filled with engravings of plants, animals, and monsters of all kinds. "Where's all the color and stuff? Everything's grey and boring." Bolo shrugged. "Maybe I just don't understand art."

He turned a corner and stopped. The hallway continued on and on, stretching so far that he couldn't see where it ended.

Then Bolo caught another glimpse of the bright light. It came from behind him. So, he worked his way back, searching for what could be creating the light. Instead, Bolo found himself staring at a wall that now stood where he first crossed into the silver hallway. "Okay . . . now I _really_ don't understand art!"

Bolo pushed and prodded the wall, hoping to open a way back to the Art Gallery. Just as Bolo was about to kick the wall in frustration, he froze.

He heard breathing.

Breathing from something right behind him.

Bolo grimaced. "Uh-oh."

* * *

Sky kept herself and Wrench—now back to his normal size—hidden in one of the zombie wagons as a couple of guards marched by. Once they were out of sight, Sky, staying low to the ground, made her way into the heart of the zombie camp with Wrench perched on her falconer's glove.

The zombies, all sitting on the grass, looked vacant. The only sound Sky heard came from a woman sobbing as she cradled her young daughter in her arms. No one seemed to notice Sky as she passed by.

Before long, Sky spotted Abner sitting amongst the others. Poe sat next to him, hugging his knees. Approaching gently, Sky knelt down in front of them.

"Abner? Poe? It's me . . . Sky. Can you . . . hear me?"

Neither looked at her, staring off into the distance without expression.

"Please . . . I need to know where Shantae is. Do you remember—"

Sky paused when she realized Poe had turned toward her.

"Do you hear her voice?" he asked.

"Voice? Shantae's voice?"

"No, no, no. _Her_ voice."

Sky went silent as she listened but heard nothing. "Poe, I don't hear anyone."

Sky's words snapped Poe out of his trance. "Abner was right," he said, letting out a long sigh, "it's really just been all in my head . . . the whole time. The pumpkin patch . . . all of it."

"I-I'm sorry, Poe. I don't understand—"

Poe didn't seem to hear Sky. Tears began welling up in his eyes. "And I-I blamed her! I told Abner that she was the one—that she was the one who took it all!"

Sky's head perked up. "Wait. Say that again?"

"How could I say that about her?"

"Poe . . ."

"How could I?"

"Poe!" Sky finally shouted, grabbing him by his shoulders.

Poe froze again, but this time he gave Sky his full attention.

"I need you to stay here with me, okay? I-I can't imagine what you're going through right now. But I need you to listen to me. Can you do that?"

Poe nodded slightly.

"Okay . . . good. That's really good. Now Poe, you said that someone took 'it all.' Did you mean the coffee?"

"No, no, no, no. That's what I _thought._ But it didn't really happen! It didn't really happen . . ."

"Okay . . . then can you tell me what you _thought_ happened?"

"In my head? From the beginning?"

"Yeah . . . from the beginning . . . that'd be perfect . . ."

"Well . . . the only time I saw her was—was when I talked to her . . . in the pumpkin patch. She didn't say exactly . . . but what she was talking about . . . how she talked about it . . . she—she wanted to do something . . . to make sure none of us could—could have our coffee . . . a-and I think she—she stopped. Drinking coffee. S-Stopped a long while ago. Since she went missing . . . maybe."

"_Missing?"_ Sky's eyes grew wide. "You—you're talking about Rottytops . . ."

"B-But Abner was right. It doesn't make any sense. He said—do you know what he said? This is what he said: _'If all that was true, if she really stopped drinking coffee, she'd be gone. She'd be nothing more than a stumbling, mumbling, brain-dead freakshow. She wouldn't be able to talk all normal. She wouldn't be able to say nothing. Not a word. Oh, but somehow she was talking to you just fine.'_ That—that's what he said."

Sky paused, trying to process all she was hearing. "Did you see anyone else there? In the pumpkin patch?"

"N-No . . . but—" Poe stopped himself.

"'_But'_ what?"

"B-But I _felt_ something . . . around her . . . around us . . ."

"Something like . . . ?"

"Like . . . eyes. Everywhere. Watching us."

Sky felt a chill run down her spine. "Whose eyes?"

"I don't know . . . but there were a lot of them . . ."

"These—these eyes . . . do you think they wanted the coffee gone, too?"

Poe nodded slowly. "She wanted what they wanted. They wanted what she wanted."

Sky glanced at Abner, who continued to stare off, before returning her attention to Poe. "Poe . . . do you know where Shantae is?"

Poe shook his head. "No . . . no . . . she left before—before all this . . ."

Sky looked down. "Okay. Thank you, Poe. Hang in there, all right? We . . . we're bound to find some coffee soon. I-I just have a feeling . . ." Sky got up from the grass, but before she turned to leave, she heard another voice.

"Sh-Shantae?" said Abner, "I-I know her. I _do_ know her."

Eyes wide, Sky leaned in closer. "Abner? Abner . . . do you know where she is? Where Shantae is?"

"Somewhere . . . only we know . . . not here . . . not the mainland . . ."

"Not the—what? But why? Why would she leave the mainland?"

"Sis . . . to find sis . . ." Abner said.

"But . . . Rottytops went missing _here._ She was last seen _here,_ on the mainland . . . so, where else but here would Shantae go to look for Rottytops?"

* * *

Shantae stopped before a narrow clearing. The walls were painted in the same toxic mud that consumed so much of the island. Patiently, she waited—her glare darting from one wall to the other and back again. Finally, figures began to take form from the mud. They morphed into humanoid creatures with glowing yellow eyes and sharp, spindling claws. Sensing Shantae's presence, the mud creatures twisted to face her. They opened their mouths and let out a collective, ear-piercing screech.

Yet, Shantae stayed focused on another sound.

She closed her eyes, letting the rhythm of her heart take control. With elbows out and palms pressed together, Shantae swung her hips to the left and then to the right. A white light enveloped her. From the light, an elephant bounded into the air before slamming to the ground with a force that tore each mud monster from the safety of their walls. The monsters never had the chance to react. Charging straight through the creatures, the elephant left nothing behind but puddles scattered across the ground.

Shantae came out the other end of the clearing, half-human once again. Before her lied a familiar sight—a gate carved out of the stone wall in the shape of a monstrous face. Its jaws remained open as an entrance leading into darkness. Next to the gate stood Hexer locked in a birdcage-like prison. Seemingly resigned to his state of helplessness, he simply watched Shantae approach with mild curiosity.

"You," said Hexer, ". . . hhhhhhhh . . . you've come here before . . . seeking asylum from suffering . . . only to leave it . . . hhhhhhhh . . . behind. So, why? Why return to the Village of Lost Souls?"

Keeping her eyes forward, Shantae furrowed her brow.

"To find a friend."


	5. Tale 4: Message in a Bottle

**"Message in a Bottle"**

Under the glow of the waning moon, Sky walked the Scuttle Town streets with Wrench perched on her hand.

Unsure of what to make of anything she learned at the zombie camp, she felt herself losing direction. A growing sense of helplessness gnawed at the back of her mind and wracked her nerves.

As they approached the hatchery, Sky glanced at Wrench. "Okay, bud . . . it's sleepy time for you. No more arguments."

He looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"I just need some time to clear my head, all right? I'm fine. Now give me a kiss and go to bed." Wrench hesitated, scanning the area briefly. After giving Sky a quick, gentle peck on the cheek, he flew back home.

Sky took a seat on the ledge of the fountain. With her head bowed, Sky closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. Just as her pulse was about to ease, Sky heard a loud _CRASH!_ Her ears traced the sound back to Mimic's Workshop. "Is Mimic finally back?" she whispered to herself.

Sky quietly eased her way around the outside of the workshop. She sidled up against the exterior wall before peeking through one of the windows.

Sky didn't see Mimic inside. She saw a tinkerbat.

It was rummaging through some junk Mimic left abandoned on his workshop floor. Sky continued to watch the tinkerbat as it examined the handful of nuts and bolts it held close to its chest. Seemingly content with its findings, the tinkerbat crept toward the door. After scanning the area, it hurried to the fountain.

Strangely, the tinkerbat stuck its hand in the water. It felt around until something clicked. Sky watched, open-mouthed, as the water stopped flowing, and the entire fountain began to slide slowly across the ground to reveal a hatch door. Once the fountain came to a halt, the tinkerbat opened the hatch and jumped inside.

Sky tiptoed over to the hatch and carefully spied inside to discover a hole with a ladder leading down into darkness.

Sky knew this was the time to call for backup. However, before she could even make a move, she felt the cold metal of a pistol jab at her back.

She froze as a familiar cackle oozed into her ear.

"Ho Ho Ho Ho! A curious one, aren't you?" said Risky Boots. "Well . . . if you're _dying_ to know what's down there, I guess I could oblige."

* * *

Bolo turned.

He found himself staring up at a demon. She stared back with yellow eyes and furrowed eyebrows. Her spade-tipped tail slowly swung back and forth as she examined him with crossed arms.

Bolo let out a high-pitched laugh. "Uh . . . hi . . . there! Y-You . . . you're a BatGal . . . cool . . . super cool."

The BatGal didn't respond.

"Th-That's a-a weird name, don't—don't you think? BatGal? Kind of goofy, you know? Haha . . ."

She stayed silent, continuing to study him over.

"Unless you like the name! Then it's—it's totally not goofy." Bolo tilted his head to the side. "You don't understand a word I'm saying, do you?"

"We all speak what the Chosen speaks now," the BatGal said, "and that name . . . BatGals . . . that's just what the humans call us."

"Oh . . . yeah. I knew all that for sure . . ."

"What do you call yourself?"

"Me? I-I'm a Bolo—I mean, my name . . . Bolo. It's Bolo . . ."

"A Bolo . . ." she said, stroking her chin, "interesting."

"In-Interesting?"

"Yes. You look like a human, so I thought you were one of them. But your cognitive functioning is very unusual. Far different from that of any human I've ever seen."

"Cognitive functioning . . . yes. Yup. I'm . . . I'm all about that. Especially when it's unusual. That's, um—that's me, all right!"

The BatGal smiled at him. "My apologies. Welcome back, brother." She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him away from the dead-end of the hallway.

"Oh, we're moving now? Okay . . . that's . . . that's great . . ."

"I'm guessing you were out scouting? Anything to report? Are the human kind as oblivious as ever?" she said, ending with a laugh.

Bolo forced out a laugh that came out far louder than he thought it would. "Yup. Definitely. Super oblivious. Those humans . . . am I right?"

The BatGal stopped to look him dead in the eye, sending a chill down his spine. "Bolo . . . you must be one of the few who blend in with the humans . . . who live among them . . . is that right?"

"Uh . . . yeah . . . you could say that . . ."

"Is it just because you . . . you look like them? Is that why you can live with them?"

"I guess that's part of it . . ."

She broke her gaze. "I-I'm trying . . . to understand . . . like the Chosen wishes. But it's . . . it's against my nature. I have difficulty understanding . . . especially humans."

"Hey . . . that's okay," Bolo said with a warm smile, "I don't understand people, like, most of the time!"

The BatGal's shoulders dropped. "Really?"

"Yup! That type of thing is always hard. But I think . . . I think it's really cool . . . that you're trying. Trying to understand, I mean."

"'_Cool' . . ."_ the BatGal said. She seemed lost in thought for a moment before grabbing Bolo by the shoulders. Her face beamed. "Bolo . . . will you . . . will you join my party for the Final Hunt? It'd be, um, _'super cool'_ if you did!"

"The Final Hunt, huh? That's . . . that sounds like . . . fun. Um . . . of—of course! Haha. How could I say no?"

"Wonderful!" she shouted with glee. "You have to meet the others! Come on!" She grasped Bolo by the arm and began running down the hall, pulling Bolo along with her.

* * *

Far below the streets of Scuttle Town, Risky marched Sky through the dark caverns—and they were not alone. Dozens of tinkerbats scurried back and forth carrying all sorts of tools and components that Sky had never seen before.

At the cavern's end, Sky laid eyes on the towering spire of glowing, white crystal for the first time. She didn't pull her attention away from the mesmerizing glow until she realized that Risky had lowered her pistol and placed it back in its holster.

Risky walked around to face Sky. She wore a devilish grin. "So . . . let me guess," Risky said, "you think I'm the one who stole all those poor zombies' coffee. Am I right?"

Sky refused to answer. She fought to keep a glare centered on Risky despite the fear pulsing inside her that she knew the pirate could no doubt sense.

"Well, no matter," Risky said, "although, I must admit . . . I'm quite thrilled that we get this chance to chat. Just you and I." She laughed at Sky's confusion. "Yes, it's true! You see, not too long ago, I nearly had everything I could ever hope for. I held it in my hands! It was all mine!"

Risky's grin vanished. "But then it was stolen from me. At the very last second. I think you know who was behind that. But . . . do you know what a little birdie told me? How the runt managed to stave off her corruption. It was because she had help. The help of those other two sniveling brats. And help from _you."_

Risky pulled her glare from Sky and casually strolled over to the pile of scrap parts on the cavern floor nearby. She began to peruse the parts. "So, here's the deal. I'll tell you anything you want to know. No lies. No tricks. But . . ." Risky picked out two metal poles from the scrap pile. She tossed one of the poles to Sky, who caught it in spite of her shaking hands. "I'll only tell if you can manage to stay conscious _as I beat you to a bloody pulp."_

Risky charged. Sky barely managed to dive out of the way of Risky's overhead strike. With little experience using melee weapons, Sky chose to use evasion to stay in the fight long enough for her to find the best chance to make a run for the exit.

However, Risky caught on to her tactics too quickly.

She charged at Sky again, but just for long enough to get Sky to make her move. Once Sky committed to her tuck and roll, Risky pivoted. She wound up and, as Sky came out of her roll, released a blow that struck her just below the knees. Immediately, Sky felt the searing pain that sent her to the ground.

Risky stood over Sky and shook her head. _"Pathetic,"_ she spat, "I would've thought this was your first fight if I didn't know better. In fact, I know exactly how you normally fight. _Like a coward._ Using _birds? Seriously? Birds_ to fight for you? And look at what you are when you don't have your bratty friends or pigeons around. _Helpless. Dead weight."_

Sky clambered back to her feet. The fury coursing through her veins helped her block out the pain just enough to regain a fighting stance once again. "I'm not done," she said.

Risky sneered. "Oh, no. You're far from done. _Because I haven't even begun to break you apart!"_

Now on bad legs, Sky's hope for an escape were dashed. She had to fight. She knew that taking Risky down might be the only way she'd get out of that cavern alive.

Risky didn't move in for another assault but instead chose to taunt Sky, approaching slowly as she twirled the metal pole between her fingers. Sky clenched her jaw. Using all her strength, she delivered a barrage of attacks at Risky. Risky easily blocked the first wave, but when Sky came at her again, she was caught off guard by the sudden burst in force. Risky absorbed a few strikes until one finally snuck around her guard and smacked her across the face. The impact sent Risky reeling backward.

Sky pumped her fist in celebration. But her joy was short-lived, as she noticed the fire now raging in her opponent's eyes.

"Uh-oh," Sky muttered.

In a single swing, Risky tore the metal pole from Sky's grip, sending it flying out of reach. Before she could even register what happened, Risky began her onslaught. Dealing blow after blow, Risky sent Sky back on her hands and knees. She felt nothing but blistering pain over her whole body. After letting Sky squirm for a few minutes, Risky unleashed the final blow to the back of Sky's head.

All went black.

* * *

As the BatGal continued to pull Bolo further down the mysterious silver hallways, Bolo was hardly prepared for what the hallway would open up to—a massive space with walls that appeared miles apart and stretched high above them. Bolo couldn't see a ceiling. It seemed to stretch endlessly. A single, yet enormous, ramp spiraled up the entire height of the wall.

Along the ramp were a countless number of strange rooms sealed off by barriers of translucent grey light. Each of these rooms appeared to take up a massive space all on its own. Above each room was an engraving of a particular species of plant, animal, or monster—just like the engravings on the hallway walls but far, far greater in size. A few of the massive engravings were glowing in a silver light; however, most remained unlit.

Despite how unreal of a place he had stumbled into, Bolo quickly had his attention stolen by the thousands of monsters—monsters of all kinds—that flew, floated, crept, crawled, slithered, and sauntered everywhere the eye could see.

"I don't think this is the Art Gallery," Bolo said to himself.

"Bolo?" the BatGal called, snapping him out of his trance. He hadn't even noticed that they stopped moving.

"Huh?"

"Meet the rest of our party!" she said, gesturing to a group of three monsters nearby.

A ghost girl, Crab, and Shrieker waved to him. Bolo waved back with a nervous laugh.

The Shrieker—a tall, ghoulish figure wrapped in a purple cloak with only his bony hands and birdlike head exposed—slunk up to Bolo and bowed. "It is a pleasure. I sincerely hope you have found your time here among the Collective rewarding thus far. I find it quite an honor to be given the chance to engage with so many other species who have been granted the gift to hear the call of the Chosen . . . do you not?"

Bolo exhaled. "Man . . . you said a lot of things just then. Um . . . I'm going to say . . . _yes?"_

The ghost girl vanished and reappeared over Bolo's shoulder, causing him to yelp. "So, you must be some sort of . . . mutant human, huh?"

"Oh yeah. I'm a mutant all right. All the way."

"Nice!" she said, "I'm a ghost, duh. I kind of haunt that treasure chest there."

Bolo viewed the red chest on the ground nearby. "Why haunt a treasure chest? Is there good stuff in there? Like a ball and chain that has a _slightly longer_ chain than the ball and chain you already have? That'd be so awesome . . ."

"Nope. It's empty. I like it because it's super comfy inside! Also, it's the color of blood!"

"Oh . . . haha. That was really cute . . . up until the whole blood thing . . ."

"It's really more like my house than something I haunt. I use the word 'haunt' because . . . you know . . . _'Boo, I'm a ghost'_ and all that. To be honest, I feel kind of pressured to do the whole spooky business. I guess that's just the burden of being Ikki . . ."

"Ikki?"

"That's my name—well, actually, that's the name the humans gave me. I can't really complain though . . . Ikki is _way_ better than some of the other monster names . . . like the poor Wetmen . . ."

"Wetman . . . yikes . . . yeah, that'd be a rough one to live with," said Bolo.

"I'm just called Crab," the Crab said, fidgeting his claws, "not CrabGuy or CrabGal . . . just Crab. It makes me feel . . . like I'm not important at all. Just like every other Crab . . . waiting to get swatted away by some adventurer . . . like the Purple-Haired Terror . . ."

The other three monsters recoiled.

"We said we would not speak of . . . _her,"_ said the Shrieker.

"Sorry . . . sorry . . . I got a little carried away there. I just get so worked up about the whole Crab thing, that's all. Sorry."

"Well . . . why don't you just choose your own names?" Bolo asked.

The monsters stared at him blankly.

"Like the humans?" asked Batty.

"Yeah! So, come on! Let's pick you all out some new names!" Bolo pointed at the Shrieker who shifted nervously. "You first!"

"Uh . . ." the Shrieker uttered, shuffling in place, "that—that is a-a lot of pressure."

"No, it's not. Just pick any name you think sounds cool!"

"B-But will I not be stuck with this title for all eternity?"

"Uh . . . nah. You can just pick another name."

"Oh . . . I see . . . then I shall choose—" the Shrieker thought and thought until a panic began to set in. He held his hands over his head. "I-I am at a loss! I lack the mind to conceive of a title capable of epitomizing the very core of my being!"

Bolo held up his palms. "Hey, hey. It's okay. Would you . . . want me to pick a name for you?"

The Shrieker's eyes lit up. "You would do this for me? Yes! Yes, please!"

"Yeah, no prob. How about . . . BirdFace?"

"BirdFace . . . yes. Yes! It defines all that I am and hope to be! Thank you, Bolo! It is perfection!"

"Great! What about you, Crab?"

The Crab grinned. "What about . . . CrabStar?"

Bolo's jaw dropped. _"CrabStar!_ That's the best name I've ever heard! It's like you're a rockstar but also a crab!"

"My turn! My turn!" said the ghost swimming in the air with excitement.

"Go for it!"

"Okay . . . ready?"

The others waited in anticipation as she, wearing a big grin, relished in letting them stew.

"Doctor GhostPants McGhostly the Third . . . Dr. GhostPants for short."

"Whoa, that sounds so smart and fancy!" Bolo said in awe.

"I know, right?" said Dr. GhostPants McGhostly III.

Everyone turned to the BatGirl. She avoided the others' gaze, twirling her tail in her hands. "Oh . . . mine's not as . . ._ 'cool' _. . . as everyone else's . . ."

"You came up with a name already?" Bolo asked. "Well, come on! Let's hear it! I'm sure it's awesome!"

"It's . . . um . . . Batty."

"That's perfect!"

"Really? You think so?"

"Yeah, I do!"

Batty blushed. "Thanks, Bolo! I'm really glad you're in our party!"

The others smiled wide and nodded in agreement.

Bolo matched their smiles with one of his own. "I know we've only known each other for, like, five minutes . . . but I feel like there's this, um—"

"Chemistry?" BirdFace suggested.

"That's a word! Sure, I guess! All I know is that it's just, like, super awesome, you know? I'm really happy that I—"

Bolo hesitated as a thought crept into his mind.

"What's wrong, Bolo?" asked Dr. GhostPants.

"I feel like I'm supposed to be doing something," said Bolo, crinkling his face. "Like I should be looking for something. And it's important. Like _really_ important. _Really, really_ important . . ."

* * *

"Sky? Sky? Can you hear me?"

As she slowly opened her eyes, Sky saw the world blurred. She could just barely make out a large figure kneeling beside her on the cold, wet cavern floor.

Little by little, Sky's vision returned to her and so too did her memory. The large figure was now in view. "M-Mimic?"

Mimic gave Sky a soft smile. "You had me worried there for a second, kiddo."

"Wh-What are you—" Sky mumbled as she tried to sit up. But she was quickly met by a severe pain that radiated throughout her entire body—her muscles so battered and sore that she could barely move.

"Hey, hey," Mimic said, holding up his palms, "take it easy, now. Don't push yourself."

Sky tried to look around but couldn't make out much from her position on the ground. "Risky . . ." she said, worry rattling her voice, "she was here. Mimic, we have to—"

Just then, walking out from behind Mimic's shadow, came the Pirate Queen herself.

Sky gazed up at her in horror.

"Now, now," Risky said, grinning as wide as ever, "why the long face, birdie? Think I'd be going so soon?"

"Haven't you done enough?" Mimic scowled.

Risky's nostrils flared. "Don't get wise with me, old man."

Sky glanced from Mimic to Risky before finally landing back on Mimic again. "What is going on? Why are you here . . . with _her?"_

Mimic sighed. "It's . . . kind of a long story."

"This whole time . . . this is where you've been?" Sky growled, "you've been here working with _Risky Boots?"_

"'_With?'"_ Risky said with a short laugh and raised eyebrow, "I think not. I'd never stoop so low as to work _with_ this bumbling buffoon. We just happen to have a . . . shared interest. For the moment."

Sky ignored Risky. Her eyes still fixed on Mimic. "You've been helping her do this to those poor people? How—how could you?"

"'People?'" Mimic asked, blinking, "what people? Who are you talking about?"

"She's talking about the zombies, you dolt," Risky interjected, "didn't you see them all out there? Are you honestly that oblivious? Birdie here thinks I stole all their precious coffee."

"Are you trying to convince me that you're innocent?" said Sky, "because I'm not buying it for a second! You're the only one in Sequin Land horrible enough to do something like this!"

Risky cackled. "I couldn't care less what you think of me, brat. Nor do I care what happens to those idiots up there. They have what's coming to them if you ask me. They're the ones weak enough to let themselves get turned into monsters."

"Look who's talking," Mimic shot back.

Risky drew her scimitar and pointed it at Mimic. "One more remark from you like that, old man, and this cavern will be your tomb."

"Then why, huh?" Sky shouted, grabbing both their attention, "if you're not hiding all the coffee here . . . then why would you be down in this hole?"

Risky waved a hand in the air. "Just tell her, old man. She's already seen it. And I think she knows now what will happen to her if she squeals."

"Why did you take her down here in the first place?"

Risky smirked at Sky. "Oh, just for a quick chat . . . and a bit of payback."

"You're beyond evil," said Mimic.

"Indeed. And don't you forget it."

Mimic rubbed his brow as he turned back to Sky. "Okay . . . where do I even begin?"


	6. Tale 5: Somewhere Only We Know

**"Somewhere Only We Know"**

Shantae traversed the cubic stones that extended from the ground of the otherworldly cavern. The purple, pink, and red glow cast on the walls from a source unknown guided the way. The cavern opened into a massive space where a village had been carved out of towering pillars of rock. Through the orange haze, Shantae walked toward the heart of the Village of Lost Souls.

No one greeted Shantae upon her arrival. The village seemed all but abandoned.

After days of travel and little sleep, Shantae allowed herself to take a break. She sat on the windowsill of the nearest building, resting her head against the cold stone that bordered the window, and gazed out at the rest of the village.

In her solitude, Shantae spoke.

"Hey . . . sorry I haven't talked to you in a little while . . . I just . . . I've been busy . . . . I saw Uncle the other day. He seemed . . . good. He let me borrow his boat. I . . . I wanted to talk to him about . . . you know . . . but, I-I just couldn't. I don't know . . . ."

Shantae held a hand to her heart. "The tear . . . lately . . . I feel it there . . . more and more each day. I just don't understand. There's _so much_ I don't understand . . . . I-I really wish I could hear you right now. I really wish I could hear you tell me that it's all going to be okay . . . that I'm going to find her. _Please . . . please_ tell me that I'm going to find her . . . ."

The small, fleeting hope that maybe this would be the time she'd finally hear that answer—the answer she'd been waiting her entire life to hear—held her in place. But, as always, Shantae was met with nothing but silence. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes tight. By the time she opened them again, she was ready to continue her search—alone.

* * *

Risky slowly paced around the glowing crystal spire as her tinkerbats worked tirelessly to build on and refine the machinery attached to its base.

Off to the side, Sky, still in immense pain, glared at Mimic while he remained lost in thought. "Mimic . . . would you _please_ just start telling your stupid story already! I have a headache like you wouldn't believe, and you are _not helping!"_

"Oh, right. Sorry . . ." he said before clearing his throat. "Okay . . . so, not too long after the Dynamo incident, I made a trip out to the volcano where Risky had built that monstrosity. It was a long shot, but I wanted to see if there was anything salvageable from her hideout. All I found were these." Mimic reached into one of his jacket pockets and pulled out a handful of small crystals.

"Light Shards?" Sky asked.

"No," Mimic said, "these are known as Genie Crystals. Risky used them to locate the spot in Sequin Land where the barrier between our world and the Genie Realm was weakest. I didn't know much, but I did know that something wasn't right about them."

Mimic held one out closer for Sky to see. "Notice its glow? It's faint. The shine is far weaker than a Genie Crystal should have. At first, I thought that perhaps these particular crystals were affected by what happened during the incident, but then I sought out more . . . other Genie Crystals hidden across Sequin Land. And guess what? The glow of those Genie Crystals were just as faint."

"Why?"

Mimic pointed at Risky. "She's why."

"Oh, don't be so dramatic," Risky said, rolling her eyes.

"After she invaded the Genie Realm, the Genies clearly took action to make sure their barrier could not be so easily breached again. In other words, instead of putting up another fence, they built a wall . . . one that no one could get around. Their connection to our world is so weak that it's nearly nonexistent. That connection can be seen in the glow of these crystals. That's why their light is so faint."

"The truth," Risky said with a toothy grin, "is that they're a bunch of cowards that couldn't stand the reality that they were outsmarted by a pirate."

Mimic ignored her and continued. "After my discovery, I knew I had to do something. Our world needs the Genies. I don't know if they've forgotten that this was their home once, too, but—but they can't just lock us out and expect Shantae to save us every time evil strikes! _How is that fair to her? Hasn't she given enough already?"_

Mimic paused, realizing the rising tension in his voice. He took a moment to collect himself before starting again. "A-Anyway, I began studying the Genie Crystals in greater detail and found out that when Genies were a part of our world, they would use their magic on these crystals to create a form of communication during emergencies. Essentially, they used these to send distress signals that other Genies could receive no matter where they were. Having learned this, I started running experiments on the ones I collected to see if I could recreate one of these distress signals."

"But they're too weak," said Sky.

Mimic nodded. "The barrier between our worlds has grown too strong. That's when I remembered something your father once told me. A discovery he made that he told no one else about."

"Dad? _My_ dad?" Sky said, "what's he got to do with any of this?"

Mimic stood up and walked over to the glowing spire of crystal. "Your father found this—a deposit of Genie Crystal in its purest form. If this is activated correctly, I believe it can act as a beacon of sorts . . . sending a signal strong enough to get through the barrier."

"Why didn't Dad tell anyone else about it?"

"Because unlike Genie Crystal shards which are incredibly resilient and harmless, pure Genie Crystal is incredibly fragile and volatile. And with the size of this deposit as large as it is, if you made one wrong move around this thing, you could create an explosion that would destroy a good part of Scuttle Town."

"_Are you serious?"_ Sky shouted, "Mimic! You let Risky Boots and her weirdo tinkerbats near something that could _destroy Scuttle Town?"_

"Part—part of Scuttle Town . . . and I didn't exactly have a say in the matter once she found out what I was doing! I also happen to believe she's not interested in destroying Scuttle Town . . . at least not at the moment."

"Mimic . . . she's playing you. _Again._ How many times does this need to happen before you _get that through your head!"_

"Wow," Risky said with a chuckle, "even birdbrain sees how much of stooge you are, Mimic."

"Isn't this _exactly_ why Shantae got upset with you?"

Mimic bowed his head. "I know! I know! I _am_ an old fool! I get it! I put everyone in danger . . . again. I know. But I _really_ believe this will work out. Then, once the Genie Beacon is complete, and we contact the Genies, I'm done. For good. You and Shantae won't have to worry about me causing any more problems. I swear."

"Now, I see why you and my Dad get along so well," Sky said before turning her attention to Risky. "So . . . what's stopped you from blowing up Scuttle Town? Not enough puppies and kittens in the area for you to send up in flames?"

"While I do love the smell of burning town," Risky said with a glint in her eye, "this is far too valuable to waste blowing up your sad-sack town. As I said . . . the old fool here and I have a common interest."

"And what's that?"

"To get those cowardly Genies out of hiding, of course."

"So you can invade their realm again?"

"Maybe one day . . ." Risky smirked. "But in any case, I want them in the game. Now that I know how easily corruptible they are, they pose no threat to me. In fact, I see them only as potential tools for me to use. And powerful ones at that."

"Oh, that's comforting to hear," Sky said, shaking her head. Using all her strength, Sky fought through the pain to finally sit up. She rested her back against the cavern wall, breathing heavily, as she studied the deposit of pure Genie Crystal. "So . . . you really think you can contact the Genies using this Genie Beacon of yours?"

"If we do things just right . . . yes," Mimic said, "yes, I do. We're only missing one piece of the puzzle."

"And what's that?"

"A Light Shard. But not your everyday Light Shard. We need one that's big. _Really_ big. Turns out that's not so easy to find . . ."

Sky nodded slowly. "Okay then. Let's do it."

"You . . . want to help?"

"No, I don't _want_ to help. I'll never trust _her_ enough to want to help her do anything . . ._ but_ if we can use this to contact the Genies . . . then it might be the only way to save the zombie people."

Mimic smiled. "Then welcome aboard. Just be sure to keep things under wraps, okay? We can't have the Royal Guard finding out about this."

Sky nodded again.

"Oh, come on," Risky scoffed, "this brat can't even help herself. How is she going to be of any use to me?"

"We can use an extra hand," Mimic growled at Risky before turning back to Sky. "But you need time to rest. To regain your strength. Okay?"

Sky narrowed her eyes. Using the wall, Sky climbed to her feet, shouting through the immense pain. She glared at Risky with her hands on her knees, gasping. Risky lifted her eyebrows ever so slightly as she watched her regain her ground.

"No," Sky said, "there is no time. And besides . . . I think I already have what we need."

* * *

Building-by-building, hour-after-hour, Shantae searched. But after an entire day of rummaging about, nothing—living or otherwise—was found. So, with a heavy heart, she ended her search.

Just as Shantae started on her journey home, a rustling noise stopped her in her tracks.

She spun around to see a shadow disappear down a gap between buildings. She rushed toward the tight alleyway and peered inside. In the middle of the alleyway, a small dog wagged its tail as it scratched at the ground. The dog paid Shantae no mind as she slowly approached.

"Aww," she said, "what are you doing here, little guy? This isn't a place for a cutie like you!"

The dog kept on scratching the ground, letting out a "bork!"

"There's nothing there, you goofball," said Shantae with a smile. She read the tag on the dog's collar. "Wobble Bell, huh? What an adorable name! I feel like I've heard it before . . . must be a popular name for cutie-pies like you! Now, come on. Let's get you out of—"

Suddenly, Shantae noticed a rumbling sound coming from somewhere in the distance. She quickly made her way to the end of the alleyway and peeked her head out to look.

Her jaw dropped.

From over the far ridge, a horde of monsters burst into view. Hissing nagas slithered over the rocks. Reapers and ghosts floated, moaning and screeching, high in the air. The creatures of the mud bog flowed together like an ocean of oil. All moved in the direction of the village.

Shantae slid back behind the cover of the buildings, standing flat against the wall as she tried to calm herself and think of a plan. Having no way of escaping without being spotted, Shantae knew that hiding was her best option.

She turned to look back down the alley. Wobble Bell was nowhere to be seen. For just an instant, Shantae caught movement in a chunk of the alleyway floor—at the same spot that Wobble Bell had been scratching.

She rushed to the area and examined the ground, finding creases in the rock bed. After failing to pry up the chunk of rock with her fingers, Shantae resorted to pounding on the piece of ground.

"Hey!" she shouted over the growing cacophony of noise that consumed the air, "I know someone's down there!"

"Who is this?" a deep voice called from the other side.

"Someone who needs help! Open up!"

"How do I know you tell truth? What if you are . . . _sneaky snake woman?"_

"I'm not a _sneaky snake woman!_ But I'm about to become a _sneaky snake woman snack_ if you don't let me in!"

After a brief pause, the rock began to shift in place. One massive hand lifted the rock high enough for Shantae to quickly slide under and out of view of the army of monsters pouring over the village.

Shantae fell into a narrow alcove, landing on gravel. The only light in the alcove snuck in through the cracks in the rocks above.

After taking a moment to catch her breath, Shantae stood up and looked back at the hulking figure who let her in. Draped in shadow, the man's features remained unintelligible. He held Wobble Bell gently under his arm.

Just a few moments later, the monster army swarmed directly overhead. The alcove shook under their presence, sending dust and bits of rock raining down. But once they passed, all was quiet again.

"Thank you, sir! You really saved my skin!" Even though he was draped in shadow, Shantae instantly recognized the man. "Hey," she said with a smile, "Do you remember me? We met last time I was here."

"Eh . . . no. Sorry, young lady. Memory not so good."

"That's all right. Do you remember monsters acting like this? Has that always happened?"

"I think no. Only recent."

"Where are the others who live here . . . in the village?"

"Hiding . . ." the man said with a sigh. "I do not like this hiding business. I want to show monster my fist . . . maybe smash with ladder. But I cannot. I must protect little doggy and good girl."

"Good girl? Do you mean the girl with the glasses? Really sweet and friendly?"

The man nodded. "You know good girl? How is this?"

"She—she's a friend."

"Friend, you say?" the man said, studying Shantae with his head tilted back.

"Yes! Do you know what happened to her? Where is she?"

The man gave no answer. Instead, he began walking deeper into the alcove. "Come now. Follow."

They reached a dead-end where the man paused. He turned to Shantae and said, "hold little dog," before handing Wobble Bell to Shantae without waiting for her response. He grabbed a rock that jutted out from the wall and pulled it loose to reveal a hole. After sticking his hand in the hole, the man pulled out a cloth sack. He handed Shantae the sack and took Wobble Bell back under his arm.

"Why are you giving me this?" Shantae asked before glimpsing inside. "Is this . . . coffee?"

"Memory not so good. But this? I cannot forget. Never."

"I . . . don't understand."

"Good girl . . . right now . . . she is . . . _not so good."_

Shantae's stomach twisted.

"Before she get, eh . . ._ sick _. . . girl give me this," the man said, pointing to the coffee. "She make trade for it . . . give up her 'most important thing.'"

"Most important—do you mean . . . her locket?" Shantae said, holding a hand to her mouth. "She traded away her locket for a sack of coffee grounds? Why?"

"I know not. But she tell me . . . 'give to friend.' I make promise. So, I protect. Now I give to you."

Shantae stared down at the sack of coffee for a moment before returning her eyes to the man. "Where is she now?"

The man pointed even deeper into the alcove. Then he turned and started back toward the entrance. Before disappearing from view, the man paused. "I try to help girl. Doggy try too. Still nothing. Maybe you help her? Maybe . . . ."

Shantae made her way to the end of the alcove, which opened up into a circular room. At the center of the room stood a wooden platform slightly elevated above the gravel floor. A single stream of light poured across the room. On the platform sat the human girl with the red-framed glasses who shared more than just the appearance of Shantae's zombie friend. She was seated cross-legged, facing away from where Shantae entered.

"Hello?" Shantae said.

When Shantae received no response, she slowly began to walk around the room until they met face-to-face.

The girl had no expression. She stared straight ahead, unblinking.

"Hey . . . there . . ." Shantae said, swallowing hard, "are you—can you hear me?"

No response.

Shantae looked down for a moment. When she returned her focus on the girl, she put on a smile once more and tried again. "Do you remember me? We met a while back . . . I found that locket of yours." Shantae held up the sack of coffee. "That man . . . he told me that you traded it away . . . for this."

Suddenly, to Shantae's shock, the girl moved. Although she kept silent and her gaze remained transfixed, she held a finger to her lips.

"You . . . want me to keep quiet about it?"

The girl nodded.

Shantae lowered the coffee. "Okay . . . that's fine. We don't have to talk about that. Can I ask you about something else? You don't have to speak. You can just nod or shake your head."

The girl nodded.

"Okay . . . okay, great! Um . . . so . . . I was told that you . . . weren't _feeling so good._ Is that true?"

She nodded again.

"The last time I was here . . . you told me about your dreams . . ." As soon as Shantae spoke the word "dreams," the girl shuddered. "Does this . . . the reason you don't feel good . . . does it have something to do with your dreams?"

In long, drawn-out motions, the girl nodded.

"O-Okay . . ." Shantae said, fidgeting in place, "is she—I mean, you . . . the you in your dreams . . . is that you . . . _gone?"_

To Shantae's relief, the girl shook her head.

"Is that you . . . _in danger?"_

Tears began to well in her eyes. She slowly nodded her head.

Shantae rubbed her hands over her face. "Okay . . . okay . . . is—is there something I can do? To save you—the you in your dreams?"

The girl neither nodded nor shook her head. Instead, for the first time, she made eye contact with Shantae. The sudden move caused Shantae to recoil slightly.

"Wh-Where are you?" Shantae said, "in your dreams . . . where are you? That's all I need to know! I can save you! Please . . . just tell me where you are!"

The girl blinked several times. A smile crept across her face. Leaning forward, she opened her mouth to speak in barely audible whispers. "You don't need to save her. She _is_ saved. _You _. . ._ you_ need to be saved . . . healed . . . made whole. _Like us."_

Shantae took a step back. "Wh-What are you saying?"

"Come home. We all have been set free. You can come to us. We didn't want you to be here during the pulse. We didn't want you to have to go through that pain again. But that's all over. So, it's safe for you now."

"_Pulse?_ What _pulse?_ What does that mean?"

"Just come. Come back. We're waiting. _She's_ waiting . . . for you to _join us."_

Shantae grabbed her by the shoulders. "_What happened? Tell me! Please!"_

She offered no response. Instead, her expression faded and her gaze dropped to look straight ahead.

She was lost once again.

* * *

With eyes squeezed shut, Bolo knocked on his forehead, hoping to jar loose whatever it was that he couldn't quite recall.

His concentration was broken when Batty placed a hand on his shoulder. "Bolo . . . are you okay?"

"Oh . . . I just can't shake this feeling that I'm forgetting something . . ."

"There's nothing else for us to do . . . yet," said CrabStar. "We've got eyes everywhere we need them . . . the coffee has been taken care of . . . so, now we just have to wait here in the Tower for—"

Bolo gasped. "The coffee!" he said, gripping his head between his hands, "I can't believe I—" Bolo paused to look at the monsters. "I-I've got to go . . . I'm sorry . . ."

"Go?" Batty asked with a downturned mouth, "why? What's wrong?"

"_The coffee_ . . . I'm supposed to be looking for _the coffee!"_

"Oh, you mustn't have been around to hear . . . that's all done now. We found it all . . . and destroyed it."

Bolo's heart sank. _"D-Destroyed?_ You destroyed it all?"

"Yup! And not a single human or half-zombie knew a thing! It really is incredible what we monsters can do when we work together. And we haven't even been assimilated by the Grey, yet! Imagine what we can do when we're all part of the _true_ Collective! It's so exciting, isn't it?"

"The coffee . . ." Bolo said, "why did you—I mean, why did we have to destroy it?"

The monsters looked at one another.

"We . . . don't really know," said CrabStar. "It's what the Chosen wanted."

"But the zombie people . . . they needed it."

"Do you have zombie friends?" asked Dr. GhostPants.

Bolo nodded.

"Well, you don't have to worry," said Batty with a soft smile, "they'll be just fine. All of them. You'll get to see your friends here as soon as the Final Hunt is over."

"And, you know," said CrabStar, "I heard that coffee is actually bad for them . . . the zombies. It's what prevents the half-zombies from becoming full zombies. Who did I hear that from?"

"It was that zombie girl," said Dr. GhostPants, "the one that acts like a half-zombie."

Bolo's head perked up. "Zombie girl? What zombie girl?"

"Oh . . . what's her name? She's been here from the beginning . . . I think she's, like, the Chosen's messenger, or something. She's the only one who goes in or out of their room."

"Rottytops . . . is her name Rottytops?"

"Yeah! That's it! So you know her, too, huh?"

"Yeah, she's my friend!" Bolo said, his heart racing. "Wh-where? Where is she?"

"Probably at the top of the Tower," said Batty. "That's where the Chosen are. If she's really their messenger, then she's probably with them."

Bolo gazed up at the impossible heights once more with his mouth agape. "The top?"

"You can't fly or warp, can you?" asked Dr. GhostPants.

"No . . . I wish."

"Would you wish for me to summon a portal for you?" asked BirdFace.

"You can make portals? Yeah, that'd be great!"

BirdFace smiled. "Wonderful! Now, just afford me a moment here . . . I find the, uh, summoning process to be slightly more . . ._ difficult _. . . when others are, um . . . _in observance._ It is a condition, you see . . . ."

But before BirdFace could even begin his summoning, he froze.

Bolo quickly noticed that the other monsters—all the thousands of them in his sight—also froze in place. Bolo waved a hand in front of Batty's face, but she offered no reaction whatsoever.

Then, just as suddenly, the monsters unfroze. They looked around at one another with big eyes.

"That . . . that was incredible!" said Batty, beaming. She wiped tears from the corner of her eyes. "I-It was so clear! Did you all hear it, too? Feel it?"

The others, who were also beaming and wiping away tears of their own, nodded enthusiastically. They all eyed Bolo when they realized he wasn't sharing in their joy.

"Uh . . . oh . . . yeah . . . that was, um . . . that was something, wasn't it?" Bolo said, forcing a smile.

Dr. GhostPants squealed, "I'm so excited!" before she flew in circles around the group, giggling.

"So this is it . . ." said CrabStar. "It's really happening . . . like, right now! I'm kind of nervous . . ."

"Don't worry," said Batty, "everything has gone _exactly_ as planned. At this point, nothing can go wrong."

With his mouth hung open, Bolo blinked as he observed the others.

"Bolo," BirdFace said, grabbing his attention, "I am deeply sorry that I am unable to reunite you with your friend at this time . . . but . . . what if you were to pick the location of our Final Hunt in consolation?"

"Um . . ."

"That's a great idea, BirdFace!" said Batty, "Bolo . . . where should we go to get our Tributes?"

"Tributes, huh? Haha . . . wow . . . we're just throwing out weird words left and right today, aren't we? Good thing I, uh, know everything about Trib—Trib—uh, Tribunes, or whatever. So, you know, it's—it's tough. It's a tough choice. I mean, how could I choose?"

"Come on! There's got to be somewhere!"

"Anywhere?"

"Anywhere."

"Well, okay then . . . I guess I have a place in mind."


	7. Tale 6: Entangled

**"Entangled"**

Sky limped into her hatchery. As soon as she shut her door, she collapsed into the nearest chair. Every aching fiber in Sky's body told her to stop. She didn't listen.

Climbing back to her feet, Sky started toward the back of the Hatchery when Wrench swooped down. He immediately caught wind of Sky's injuries, which sent him into a tizzy.

"Hey," Sky said, holding up a palm. Wrench, however, continued to squawk and squawk. _"Wrench!" _Sky shouted, finally silencing him. _"I'm okay_ . . . everything is—it's over now . . . so just _relax."_

While Wrench did end his squawking, he did not relax. He continued to hover in the air around Sky as she slowly made her way into the back storage area. After scanning the room, Sky spotted a dusty chest in the corner.

Sky wiped away the dust to reveal her name written out in big, bold, colorful letters. Reaching inside, Sky sifted through a dozen stuffed animal birds. From the bottom of the chest, she pulled out a Light Shard the size and shape of an ostrich egg. Sky basked in its glow for a moment, smiling softly, before cradling it in her arm, shutting the chest, and making for the exit.

After gingerly pulling the strap of her messenger bag over her shoulder, Sky plopped the Light Shard inside. She then eyed Wrench, who was still flapping about.

"Wrench . . . would you _please_ settle down. All that flapping is driving me nuts. I don't think my arm is in good enough shape for you to rest on right now . . . so can you—just this once—get in the bag?"

Wrench glared at her.

"I know . . . I know how much you hate the bag. I promise I won't close it all the way, okay?"

Wrench hesitated but inevitably caved, resting atop the Light Shard inside the bag. Sky flipped close the flap and fastened its straps to leave enough room for Wrench to stick his head out.

After shuffling slowly to the front door, Sky made her way out but stopped in her tracks a few feet beyond the doorway.

Halfway between her hatchery and the fountain stood two figures, shoulder-to-shoulder, facing away from Sky. Even with their bodies turned, Sky instantly recognized them.

"P-Poe? Abner?" she called out. "How—how did you get here?"

They twisted their bodies to face her.

Sky gasped.

With mouths hung ajar and eyes rolled into the back of their heads, Poe and Abner stumbled forward, moaning.

"Oh, no . . . no," Sky said, backing away with a hand covering her mouth.

Sky reached to free Wrench from her bag but paused when Poe and Abner halted in place. Then, in a plume of dust, they vanished, leaving behind two holes in the ground.

With her heart beating out of her chest, Sky looked around feverishly before her eyes landed on the fountain. She limped a few steps in the direction of the fountain when something caused her to trip and fall.

Sky glanced at her feet to see green hands grasping at her ankles.

They dragged her, screaming, under the ground.

* * *

Through narrowed eyes, Risky glowered at the glow of the Genie Beacon while Mimic argued with a tinkerbat.

He pointed the tinkerbat to the steam engine that powered the machine at the base of the Beacon. "Why is it making that noise?" he asked the tinkerbat. It glared at him with arms crossed. "Do you not hear that noise? It wasn't making that noise before you had to go start messing with it for no reason!"

She peered in the direction of the cavern's entrance. "The little birdie better hurry because if I have to put up with you idiots for even a second longer than I have to, then someone is losing a limb, and I don't care who or what limb."

Suddenly, a low rumbling began to echo from above them. Risky and Mimic paused, and so too did each tinkerbat that lined the cave. Mimic looked to the ceiling with eyebrows furrowed. "What is—"

"Shush!" Risky said, listening intently. The rumbling grew louder, and the shouts and screams of people soon followed.

Without another word, Risky took off toward the cavern's entrance with her tinkerbats following right behind.

Mimic threw up his hands before giving chase.

At the foot of the ladder, Risky and Mimic took turns spying through the tinkerbat-constructed periscope to observe the chaos above.

Monsters from all over Sequin Land and beyond engulfed the town. People ran, hid, and fought. And none stood a chance.

Those who ran found the Golems blocking any way of escape and the Orcs and Cacklers lying in wait. Those who hid could not hide their scent from the Nagas or Ice Werewolves. Those who fought were quickly conquered by the Wetmen and ScorpGals.

Each monster snatched a hostage. Some pulled their victims into the shadows, while others dragged them, screaming, out of town.

Not long after the invasion began, it ended with Scuttle Town picked clean.

"What just happened?" Mimic said. "Were they . . . _working together?_ Monsters? Of all those different species?"

"It can't be . . ." Risky thought aloud. "It just can't . . . can it?"

"You know what that was?"

Risky ignored Mimic and addressed her crew. They immediately gave her their attention. "Back to the ship. All of you. Take the hobo with you."

"Wait, what?" Mimic said just before being tackled and tied up by a dozen tinkerbats. With his mouth gagged, Mimic could only grumble and glare at Risky as she watched him struggle with a sinister grin.

"While it is very tempting to throw you to the monsters, you and blondie have information that _cannot_ fall into the hands of this enemy." She eyed the tinkerbats once more. "Keep the ship a mile from shore. Not an inch closer. Now go!"

Not needing to be told twice, the tinkerbats hoisted Mimic up and out the hatch door.

Risky returned to the surface and triggered the fountain to move back to its usual position over the hatch. She turned to face Sky's Hatchery. Just before its doorway, she discovered Sky's falconer's glove lying abandoned on the ground.

Suddenly, Risky heard voices coming from somewhere nearby. She dipped into the hatchery and slid up against the wall by the door with her pistol at the ready. As the voices grew closer, Risky listened in.

"What about a butterfly or a spider or something like that?"

"Oh . . . I don't know. What if I hurt them with my claws?"

"You don't _have to_ find a Tribute, CrabStar. None of us do. The Quota has almost been met already. For us, the Final Hunt can just be about the experience! So, relax! Take it all in!"

"I know . . . but I'd still feel bad showing up empty-clawed. I don't want to be _that_ Crab . . . you know what I mean?"

"You'll find something, CrabStar. Don't worry about it! Anyway . . . I'm going to take a peek in that building there. I'll meet you all back out here in just a bit, okay?"

"Okay, Bolo! Hope you find something good!"

Risky heard Bolo's footsteps approaching the door to the hatchery. He stopped just outside.

"Sky?" he whispered. "Sky? Are you in there?"

Risky raised an eyebrow. She holstered her pistol before grabbing Bolo by his shirt and pulling him inside. Holding him up against the wall, Risky held a hand over his mouth.

Once Bolo's shock wore off and he realized who was in front of him, he froze. His face grew flushed.

"I'm going to take my hand off your mouth now. If you make any noise louder than a whisper, I'll cut out your tongue. Understand?"

Bolo nodded.

Risky lowered her hand, revealing the doofy smile plastered on Bolo's face. "You're another one of the runt's loser friends, aren't you?"

Bolo gasped. "Y-You remember me . . . ."

Risky ignored Bolo's comment and peered out the door. "How did you trick those monsters into thinking you're one of them?"

"Well . . . I don't like to brag or anything . . . but, I'm pretty good at, like, most things. So—"

"Okay, no. Just . . . no. I don't care anymore. Tell me where they're taking people. That's all I need to know."

"Uh, probably back to that really weird place I found. I think the only way you can get there is through a portal. If you want to go there, why don't you just come with us? You can be my Tribute."

Risky furrowed her eyebrows. "You mean your _captive?"_

"_What?_ No! No . . . a _Tribute._ Not a _captive._ Those are completely different words."

Risky drew her scimitar and sighed as she admired its gleam. "Doesn't seem like I have much of a choice . . . . That good-for-nothing featherhead is going to pay _dearly_ for her incompetence." Risky returned her attention to Bolo. She held the blade to his throat. "As for you . . . if you tell _anyone_ about this—_anyone_—I'll toss you in a pit with the most vile creatures known to man. And those monsters—_not so good_ at keeping friends . . . . Do I make myself clear?"

"Yup. Clear. Super clear."

"Good," Risky said, lowering her blade. "Now . . . if you can help me get in and find that blonde brat friend of yours, I'll think about letting you aboard my ship . . ."

Bolo's eyes bulged.

"I said _'think.'_ Do anything stupid and you'll be left for the sharks."

"Oh . . . you won't have to worry about that!"

Bolo rejoined his monster party with Risky in toe. The monsters stared at Risky with their mouths agape.

"Bolo . . . you got a human?" said Batty. "That's amazing! I didn't think there were any more left to snag!"

"Wait," said Dr. GhostPants, "do humans come in purple? Or is she blue? I can't actually tell."

Risky glared at the ghost but bit her tongue.

"Are they allowed to have weapons?" CrabStar asked, eyeing Risky's scimitar.

"Yeah," said Dr. GhostPants, "we let the humans keep their toys . . . as long as they play nice."

"Oh . . . I'll play nice," Risky said with a devilish grin.

"Great!" Bolo blurted out, "so, uh, does everyone have their Tribute?"

Batty beamed as she hugged her Heart Squid. BirdFace gently uncupped his hands to reveal his firefly. Dr. GhostPants hovered over her open treasure chest inside of which her chit-chat spider kept busy by spinning a fresh web.

CrabStar smirked. "Bolo, check this out!" He proudly held up his Tribute.

"A jar of peanut butter?"

"Sure, okay! So . . . I win, right?"

"It's not a competition," said Batty.

Bolo pondered for a moment. "Well . . . I don't think peanut butter is alive most of the time . . . but, who doesn't love peanut butter? So, I see it as a win."

After catching a glimpse of the rage burning in Risky's eyes, Bolo said, "Okay . . . I think it's time we head back."

In a flash of bright, white light, BirdFace cast two portals at the wall of a nearby building. "Well, Bolo, your choice in Tribute is most fortuitous . . . for the Human Room is in close proximity of the Tower's top."

Batty smiled. "Looks like you'll get to visit your friend after all!"

"Awesome! Thanks, BirdFace!" Bolo said. He looked from one portal to the other. "But, uh . . . why are there two?"

"Our Tributes are way further down the Tower," said Batty.

"Oh . . . well . . . I guess this is good-bye then, huh?"

"What's with the long face?" said Batty, smiling. "We're only going to be apart for a bit. Then we'll be together. All of us. _Forever."_

"Oh . . . right. That's, uh . . . not creepy at all. Can't wait for . . . that . . . ."

* * *

From behind the barrier that trapped her in the Human Room, Sky watched yet another room light up silver.

After waking up in the Tower with no memory of how she got there, Sky wasted little time before she began working to understand her situation. In doing so, she found the pain and fatigue a bit easier to bear.

Sky learned that a room would glow silver when filled with enough members of the species depicted in the room's engraving.

While Sky couldn't see all the way to the bottom of the Tower, from what she could see, nearly all the rooms were now illuminated, including the Human Room.

The barrier presented a puzzle in which Sky saw no solution. Anyone could walk through the barrier to get inside the room; however, only the monsters watching over the humans could leave. The barrier repelled all else from escaping.

Sky held her leather bag closer to her.

Suddenly, the entire Tower shook. Sky peered past the barrier once more to see that the silver light now consumed every room in view. The Tower shook again, but this time, a strange feeling in her gut stayed with her.

Then it hit her. The Tower was rising.

The monsters roared in celebration.

The noise grew so loud that Sky just barely heard her name being called.

Her eyes grew wide as she spotted Risky crouched down on the other side of the barrier. Sky rushed over to her.

"How did you—"

"There's no time to explain," Risky said. "We have to go _now."_

"But I can't get past the barrier. Do you know how to turn it off?"

"Don't need to," she said before gesturing to the Orc guards who were too busy celebrating to notice them. "See what they have around their necks?"

"Dark Shards?"

Risky nodded. "From your side, this barrier will repel everything . . . except Dark Magic and anything that possesses or is in contact with Dark Magic."

"Okay . . . so, we'd need to steal a Dark Shard from a guard without all the other monsters noticing . . . ."

"Yeah . . . or you can just shut up and grab my hand," Risky said, extending her arm through the barrier.

"Wait, what?"

"I said _shut up and grab my hand!"_

Sky did so, and without the slightest resistance, Risky pulled her through the barrier.

"How did you—"

Risky ignored Sky and darted into the nearest hallway, leaving Sky scrambling to catch up.

Down the hall, Sky found Bolo waiting for them.

"Rough night?" Bolo asked.

"You have no idea," Sky answered.

"Where's Wrench? You didn't get separated, did you?"

"Us? Separated? I'd never let that happen!" Sky opened her bag, and Wrench popped out. He stayed in the air above Risky and Bolo so he could glare down at them.

Before closing the bag, Sky held it out for Risky. "I also found the Light—"

"_Don't! Do not_ talk about _that_ here!" Risky said furiously, pushing the bag away. "Are you honestly that dense? We're behind enemy lines if you haven't noticed, _darling."_

"Okay, sheesh. Can we at least talk about what we're going to do next? Like, what we should do about all those people?"

"I couldn't care less about those people. And even if I did, there isn't nearly enough time to save them . . . . Now, if we're going to get out of here, we're going to need some wings. So, get your freakish bird to grow big already, will you?"

Wrench shot Risky a cold stare before turning to Sky. She nodded, and in a flash, Wrench transformed.

Risky leaped onto Giga-Wrench's saddle. She rolled her eyes as she observed Sky struggling to join her.

Once Sky finally managed to situate herself on the saddle, she looked at Bolo. "Come on, Bolo. Let's go! Wrench can carry you in his talons. Shouldn't be that bad."

"Head on without me. I'll catch up," he said.

"You're staying? Are you _nuts?"_

"It's Rottytops, Sky."

"What?"

"She's here," Bolo said, pointing above him. "I'm going to get her. The two of us will find another way out."

Sky sighed. "Bolo . . . listen . . . Poe told me some things . . . about Rotty. I don't know if it's a good idea for you—"

"We're a team, remember? 'Friends to the end,' and all that? I can't just leave her behind, Sky!"

Sky bowed her head. "Okay. Just . . . be careful."

Bolo nodded.

Risky spotted monsters begin to eye them from the end of the hallway. "We need to go . . . _now!"_

Wrench lifted off.

After barreling through the gathering of monsters, Wrench dove, beginning their descent from within the rising Tower.

* * *

As Bolo made his way up the spiraling ramp, he found the area strangely void of monsters. At the very top of the ramp, Bolo saw a ladder that stretched up to a door in the ceiling. He climbed the ladder and pushed the door open.

When Bolo got back to his feet, he surveyed the room—a large, cylindrical space walled off by a single curved mirror. From a hole at the center of the ceiling, a small stream poured down, covering most of the room's floor in a shallow pool. Only the small platform on which Bolo stood kept dry. He noticed that the liquid pouring from above wasn't water but a strange metallic silver ink.

Rottytops was alone, kneeling before the stream and cupping the silver ink in her hands.

Bolo tread across the pool to reach her.

"Rottytops!" he said with a wide smile. "It's really you!"

Rottytops calmly looked up at Bolo and returned the smile. "Bolo . . . it's so good to see you again." She got to her feet, and to Bolo's surprise, gave him a genuine hug.

"We looked everywhere for you," he said as Rottytops released him. "And you were here the whole time?"

Rottytops began to wander around the room, watching the silver ink move in accordance to each of her steps. "Not the whole time," she said. "But most of the time, yes."

Bolo glanced back at the door. "Look . . . Rottytops—"

"I thought what you did for those monsters today was really great, Bolo."

He tilted his head to the side. "How . . . how did you know about that?"

Rottytops only answered with a smile. When she spoke again, she pivoted the conversation once more. "So, Sky and Risky left already, huh? That's too bad."

"Well . . . that's kind of why I'm here, Rottytops. I—"

"I know," Rottytops said, stopping to bore her gaze into Bolo's. "You plan to go with them . . . and you want me to come, too."

"Y-Yeah . . . we really should get out of this place soon. Something really . . ._ weird _. . . is happening. I just have a bad feeling about—"

"I'm staying, Bolo. And I'd like you to stay with me."

"What? But why?"

"A lot has changed since we last spoke. I've learned so much about . . . _everything._ I saw what others saw. Felt what others felt. And do you know how I was able to do that? This place. It was because of this place, Bolo."

Bolo didn't know how to respond.

"And, of course, it was because of them. I should've told them from the beginning. I know that. But I couldn't help myself. Being _with_ them . . . just another part of the Collective. It was . . . _nice._ I knew I couldn't be that forever though."

"Rotty, what are you—"

"Because now that things are ready, it's finally time for me to share what I've found with everyone . . . . Hard to believe, isn't it? _Me _. . . of all monsters. It was _me._ Chosen to guide Sequin Land to freedom."

"_Chosen?_ Wait—did you just say—"

"Some of the things I had to do though . . . some choices I had to make . . . they hurt people. I know they did. Poe . . . Abner . . . all of them. I hate that I had to do those things. But now, I can make things right. I _will_ make things right . . . . You'll help me make things right . . . won't you, Bolo?"

Bolo opened his mouth, but no words came out.

He lurched.

Glancing at his feet, Bolo discovered that something was spreading across his body from the silver ink below. Grey had blotted out all color from his skin and clothes and seized all sense of feeling.

In panic, Bolo tried to wipe away the Grey from his legs, only for it to spread to his hands upon contact. The Grey consumed more and more as his heart raced faster and faster.

Bolo's legs gave out. He fell on his back. A fog flooded his head, draining him of his energy.

Rottytops knelt by his side. She loomed over him, admiring the work of the Grey.

"I know," Rottytops said in a soft tone. "I know you're scared. But the fear will pass as your mind clears. That's when I'll come for you. There . . . in the Void . . . that's where you'll find me."

Bolo's eyes followed Rottytops as she returned to her feet. The ceiling opened, letting in the light of dawn. A massive stone sphere hovered in the sky above. From the pool, a spiraling stairway rose to meet the sphere.

As Rottytops ascended the stairs, the Grey claimed what was left of Bolo.

His mind went blank.

* * *

After minutes of diving at top speed down the rising Tower, Sky had yet to spot a portal. With her pistol drawn, Risky kept her head on a swivel, ready for any monster to attack; however, none did. They no longer seemed to care about their efforts to escape.

"There!" Sky shouted, pointing Wrench to a fading portal in the wall. He banked sharply, forcing Risky off balance. She regained her poise but not before losing her Captain's Hat to the wind. They made it through the portal just before it closed and out into the open air above Mermaid Falls.

Risky growled through gritted teeth.

"Are you . . . okay?" Sky asked.

"It's . . . _fine._ Let's just get to the ship. And maybe sometime today would be nice!"

"Okay, okay, just—" Sky paused when she gazed toward the heart of Sequin Land, where the Tower—twisting as a helix up beyond the highest cloud—finally ceased its ascension.

"_Let's go!"_ Risky snapped, breaking Sky out of her trance.

Sky scanned the horizon. "Wrench!" she called out, pointing to the southwest, "Risky's ship. See it? Head there!"

Wrench started off toward the ship.

Then, echoing from the Tower, an ear-piercing screech tore across the skies. Sky and Risky looked back to see a ring of light shoot out as a pulse from the center of the Tower. As the pulse passed them, Sky felt a sharp stinging pain at her side—where her bag rested against her body. She peeked inside.

Her heart sank.

The Light Shard had lost its glow.

"R-Risky? Something happened to—" Sky started before looking up at Risky. Risky's eyes were still set squarely on the Tower.

"_The ocean,"_ she said, pointing due west. _"Forget the ship! It's too far! Make for the ocean! Now! NOW!"_

Sensing the panic in Risky's voice, Wrench didn't need Sky's approval to change direction and accelerate.

Another noise spread out from the Tower—the loud, deep roar of a ferocious wind swirling into a cyclone of dark grey cloud. The clouds spread from the base of the Tower, blanketing the land in an instant.

Before long, the clouds below began to billow upward.

Wrench flew at max speed, swooping around the curling clouds as they rose like pillars that seemed alive and intent on ensnaring them in their grasp. One stream of grey cloud shot up too quickly for Wrench to react, stealing the color from the tip of his wing upon contact. Wrench cawed in distress but flew on anyway. Sky called out words of encouragement to Wrench; however, her words were choked by the wind. Wrench's flying grew more and more erratic as the Grey spread.

Wrench used the strength he had left to push them over clear air once again.

Sky and Risky twisted around to watch the clouds stretch upward, forming a massive cyclonic wall around all of Sequin Land.

"Wrench!" Sky shouted in joy, "you did it, buddy! You got us out of there! I can't believe—" Sky cut herself off when she noticed that the Grey continued to spread over Wrench's body. It grew closer to the saddle on which Sky and Risky sat.

Risky grabbed the back of Sky's cape. Sky looked back at her with tears welling in her eyes. Not needing to say a word, Risky released Sky's cape before diving into the clear water below.

Sky gently rested a hand on Wrench's back. "No . . ." she said, shaking her head over and over. "No . . . Wrench . . . there's got to be—what about—what about the ocean? Maybe it'll wash off? Right? It has to . . . let's . . . let's try it, huh?"

Wrench didn't move. He gazed back at Sky and let out a soft _caw._

"Wrench?"

Then in a sudden twist of his body, Wrench tore Sky's grip from the saddle and sent her flying.

She tumbled through the air before crashing into the ocean. Under the waves, Sky fought to reach the surface. Once she did, she took in a large gasp of air before searching the skies above, desperately looking for any sign of Wrench.

She spotted him still hovering in the air just outside the reach of the spinning wall of grey cloud. She shouted his name, but Wrench would not glance her way. Instead, he slowly drifted backward.

"_No!"_ Sky shouted. _"No, Wrench! Stop! What are you doing?"_

Wrench vanished into the clouds.

Sky continued to shout his name until the little energy she had left her.

Risky kept Sky above water as she drifted in and out of consciousness.

The pirate couldn't tear her eyes from the wall of clouds surrounding Sequin Land.

"She's real," Risky said. "I thought . . . I thought it was all just some tall tale . . . but it's true. _The Monster Queen_ . . . she found her successor . . . and she just took back her kingdom."

* * *

"I'm here now . . . it's okay. Yes. I know . . . I know it's hard to understand. It's _so_ hard at first. And the fear. I feel it, too . . . that's right. I do. I feel what _you_ feel. What _you all_ feel. The confusion . . . the fear . . . the loneliness. _That loneliness_ . . . it's always been there, hasn't it? Keeping you trapped. But that's why I'm here with you. To show you . . . that you don't have to be alone anymore. _Never again._ Yes . . . yes, that's it! You can feel it! Do you know what that is? _That's everyone. Everything. You're with_ _us now._ _All of us. Together. As one."_

The sphere at the top of the Tangled Tower, looming high over the land, opened.

From within the sphere, the Monster Queen emerged.

Metallic ink dripped from her as she slowly walked to the edge. She opened her silver eyes to look out at the grey that filled every corner of the Tangled Kingdom. A wide smile graced her face as she breathed it in.

"We're all together," said Rottytops, _"almost_ all . . . ."

**~~~ END OF ACT I ≈≈≈**


	8. Tale 7: Floating in a Fishbowl

**≈ ≈ ACT II: THE RISKY REVOLUTION ≈ ≈**

**"Floating in a Fishbowl"**

Shantae lowered the sail and waited for her uncle's boat to slow before sitting on the gunwale with feet dangling over the waves. She gaped at the swirling grey cloud that towered up as high as she could see. After spending hours sailing around the cloud, Shantae estimated that it not only encircled all of Sequin Land, but the surrounding ocean as well. It came to a halt about a half-mile offshore—like a wall that extended from the surface to the stars. Getting over or around the cloud was not an option. But she still had one last possible point of entry.

After rubbing her hands over her face, Shantae stood back up. She took a moment to adjust her balance to the boat as it rocked along with the ocean.

Shantae started to move to her beat. Leaning back, she held her arms out front and let them flow like the waves. Soon, white light surrounded her. A mermaid dove out of the light and into the ocean.

Shantae propelled herself closer to the cloud wall. Once she made it to within a few feet, Shantae sank below the surface. What she saw left her stomach in knots. The wall stretched under the sea but as a wall of murky, grey water.

Shantae gritted her teeth and continued to swim down, further and further, hoping to find an end to the Grey but knowing, ultimately, that her search would be in vain.

As the oceans depths became too dark for her to navigate, Shantae finally gave up and began working her way, slowly, to the surface. As she swam, Shantae eyed the strange liquid that separated her from her home.

"Maybe it's just a way to scare people away," she thought. "It might not be bad at all." Shantae stopped her ascent and floated closer. "All of Sequin Land . . . everyone . . . they need me. I might be the only one who can save them. I-I can't just stay back and do nothing while they're all in trouble!" She reached out her hand. But before she touched the grey water, she hesitated. Biting her lip, Shantae pulled her hand away. "No. I have to be smart about this."

She started back for the surface once more. She paused again as she heard movement from within the grey water.

Starfish, squid, sharks, and minnows—marine life of all kinds—gathered at the edge, seemingly interested in Shantae's presence on the other side. Shantae studied the creatures, noticing that what should've been colorful sea life was quite the opposite. They, like the murky waters in which they swam, were all grey.

While the sea creatures remained on the grey side of the divide, Shantae became increasingly uncomfortable with their rising numbers and unflinching focus on her. She started to swim away. Soon, however, Shantae felt the tug of a current pulling her back.

She swung around to see every sea creature swimming in formation, creating a vortex that was quickly dragging her toward them.

Immediately, Shantae started swimming away with all her might. The vortex grew stronger, and Shantae found herself losing the battle. With the Grey just inches away, Shantae focused on the energy building in her throat. She spun around and fired off round after round of attack bubbles with a force that tore through the vortex unimpeded, knocking out enough sea creatures to hamper the strength of the vortex. Then, pushing herself to the limit, she escaped the current.

Slightly shaken, Shantae quickly set off in the direction of the boat. After a short while, Shantae noticed that it was becoming more and more difficult to swim. Looking down, Shantae gasped at the Grey that now gripped her tail. She realized that she must've touched the grey water during her fight against the vortex.

With her heart racing, Shantae used her fading strength to resurface. She transformed back and grabbed the boat, pulling herself in. Rolling on her back, Shantae tried to catch her breath; yet, the numbness had not gone away. She sat up to discover that the Grey still remained—encasing her left foot.

"No," Shantae said, "no, no, no!" Before she could think of what to do, her vision started to grow blurry. The numbness spread across her body, causing her to fall to her back once again. Soon, her eyelids became too heavy to keep open.

* * *

When Shantae opened her eyes once more, she was in Scuttle Town—with skies blue and streets bustling.

(("What?" Shantae said, "What's going on?"))

Strangely, when Shantae spoke, no words left her mouth. In fact, her mouth hadn't moved at all. She tried to move her eyes, head, arms, legs—but she wasn't in control of anything.

Someone else was in control.

Shantae screamed and shouted, but it made no difference. When she finally calmed herself, Shantae began to examine her strange situation. She noticed that, despite having no command over her movements, she could still feel things. She felt the heat from the sun's rays and the cool ocean breeze on her skin.

She also realized that she was a little higher off the ground than usual.

Her head lifted up, and Shantae found herself looking up at the sky. Then her hand reached up to block out the bright sun. Shantae gasped as she discovered that her skin was green.

(("Wait," Shantae said, "this isn't my body! But—but whose body am I in?"))

Then a familiar voice called out. "Rottytops!"

Her head spun around. Abner stood before her with his arms crossed. "Where have you been?" he asked her.

While Shantae remained silent and stunned, she heard words escape her lips nonetheless. "What's it to you?" said Rottytops.

((_"I'm in Rottytops's mind!?"_ Shantae shouted to no one. "Is this . . . _a memory?_ _Her_ memory? How—how am I seeing this?"))

"I just went for a walk, sheesh," Rottytops continued, "do I need to tell you everything I do?"

Abner shook his head. "I guess I can't ask my own sis any questions no more, is that it?"

Rottytops's attention drifted to a group of humans passing by. Catching her gaze, they scurried away.

"You're really acting weird," Abner said, drawing her eyes back to him. "Like weirder than usual."

Rottytops ignored Abner's comments, choosing instead to glance at her feet and say, "Hey, um, Abner?"

"Yeah?"

"A while back . . . I found out that Shantae . . . that she knows what I looked like when I was . . . human."

"How—did—did she tell you that?" Abner said, wide-eyed.

"No . . . no, she didn't tell me anything."

"Then how could you know—"

"I saw it. In her head."

"Say what now?"

Rottytops sighed. "It's hard to explain, okay? We had to go inside Shantae's brains to stop the evil Shantae."

Abner stared at her with his mouth hanging open.

"Anyway . . . when I was in there . . . I saw me. In her memory. But I didn't look like me. I looked like a . . ._ human_ me. So . . . do you know how? How she knows?"

(("So that's how she found out . . ." Shantae said. "You really do learn a thing or two when you're in someone else's head."))

Abner rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact. "Look . . . that Shantae . . . she don't know nothing. You said you was in her head, right? Well . . . it was, uh, probably just one of them . . . you know . . . mind tricks."

"Mind tricks?"

"Yeah . . . you know. When you thinking one thing, but you, uh . . . see some other . . . thing . . . ."

Rottytops blinked.

(("Smooth, Abner. Real smooth. Why don't you just tell her the truth? Why are you still hiding it from her . . . ? Although, I guess I was hiding it from her, too. I should've just told her . . . ."))

"Just . . . don't worry about it, all right?" Abner continued, wiping some sweat from his brow. "It—it's nothing. The Genie girl don't know nothing."

Looking down again, Rottytops nodded. "Sure. Yeah . . . you're right . . . it was probably nothing . . . ."

"Abner! Rottytops!"

Rottytops scanned the crowd to spot Poe heading their way with a wide smile on his face and three mugs of coffee in hand. After waddling over, Poe held out two of the mugs for Abner and Rottytops. "I've been looking all over for you two! The coffee's getting cold!"

Abner grabbed the mug, still studying Rottytops, before chugging his coffee down in nearly a single gulp.

Rottytops slowly reached for her mug. She took it and pulled it closer to her. As Rottytops peered at the brown liquid, Shantae felt a wave of nausea wash over her. Her heart began to race. (("What—What's happening?" Shantae said.))

"Rottytops?"

Quickly, Rottytops lifted her head to address Poe. "Y-Yeah?"

"Are you okay? You don't look so good . . . ."

"Fine," Rottytops blurted out, "I'm totally fine!"

"You haven't even taken a sip of your coffee . . . ."

Rottytops gazed back down at the mug. She fought back the sick feeling enough to raise it to her lips; however, she only pretended to take a sip before pulling it away. "Mmm . . . that—that's really good stuff! Th-Thanks, bro. So . . . anyway . . . I'm, uh, going to see what snack cakes is up to. Later."

Before her brothers could say another word, Rottytops whirled around and took off, walking as fast as she could until they were out of view.

After Rottytops crossed the bridge to Shantae's Lighthouse, she stopped. She glanced over at the nearby shoreline.

Standing on the sand, Rottytops examined the clear ocean water that gently washed ashore. She held out her mug of coffee and poured it into the sea.

Suddenly, a voice called out, causing Rottytops to drop the mug in the sand.

"I knew I made the right choice," the voice said.

Rottytops spun around, heart racing, as she searched for the source of the voice. "Where—where are you? Why do you keep following me?" Then Shantae felt the searing pain that caused Rottytops to grasp her head and close her eyes tight. _"S-Stop! Please . . . stop!"_ When she opened her eyes, Rottytops was in a forest in the dead of night, standing before a lonely, unmarked gravestone.

Her heart raced faster and breathing grew heavier as her body began to tremble. The tombstone suddenly started to glow. Rottytops leaned away, but before she could make another move, the ground opened up. She fell into an ocean of silver ink. Shantae screamed, and so too did Rottytops. She tried, desperately, to stay afloat, but the silver ink pulled her under.

Rottytops shut her eyes again, and when she opened them, she was back on the beach outside Shantae's Lighthouse.

Shantae was left speechless as she watched Rottytops rush to the Lighthouse door. Rottytops knocked. _"Shantae!"_ she shouted before knocking even louder, "Shantae, _please_ open up!" When no one answered, Rottytops climbed atop the overhang above the door to peek through the circular window. She held herself up by the window frame and rested her forehead against the glass. "Shantae . . . I-I don't know what's going on. Please . . . I need your help . . . ."

(("Oh, Rottytops . . ." Shantae said, wishing more than ever that her friend could hear her words.))

Then Rottytops's vision began to blur. The voice returned. "You're not the one who needs help, my child," it said.

Growing woozy, Rottytops simply replied, "Huh?"

"It's your friend who needs your help."

"Shantae? Shantae needs _my_ help?"

"That's right. And you know what she needs help from. You've known for so long. You can help her. Show her. You can show them all. You just need to stop holding yourself back. Embrace the gift I passed onto you. And let the _real you_ go free."

"The real me?"

"You'll understand . . . soon. But your friend? She won't understand. None of them will. Not yet. So, you can't tell them. In time, you'll have the power to set them _all_ free. Then they'll understand, too."

Rottytops's vision returned; yet, her heart still pounded. She looked at her reflection in the Lighthouse window. "The real me . . . ."

"_Rottytops!"_

The shout startled her, sending her tumbling backwards and onto the dirt below.

Shantae saw herself standing over Rottytops with arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed.

"What's the big idea?" Rottytops said with a pout as she clambered back to her feet.

_"Big idea!?_ You were just trying to break in to my house!"

(("Wait," Shantae said, "I remember this . . . this is the same day. The day Rotty went missing! She must be trying to tell me something . . . that's why I'm seeing all this . . . right?"))

The afternoon that Shantae wished she could forget progressed until she was back in that alleyway once again—this time looking at herself through the eyes of her friend whose condition had deteriorated quickly.

Rottytops coughed and gasped for air as her body shook violently and sweat dripped from her skin. The immense pain that radiated throughout Rottytops's body hit Shantae with an assault on all her senses, leaving her in a state of shock. All she could do was fight to stay cognizant of what was going on.

". . . Deep down—you and I—_we're predators._ Predators who've been forced to play as prey. And what's that gotten us? Looked down upon . . . cast aside . . . _used._ But I . . . _I won't take any more . . . . What's it going to take for you to finally say the same?"_

With that, Rottytops stumbled out of Scuttle Town. The world spun around her, but she continued on. Eventually, Rottytops collapsed against a tree in the middle of Tangle Forest—alone. The dark of the night was impenetrable.

After Rottytops finally managed to suppress her wheezing cough, she lifted her head slightly. "I-I know—I know you're there . . ." she said between breaths.

A moment later, Shantae heard the voice that spoke to Rottytops earlier that day. "Of course, my child," said the voice, "I—"

"Stop calling me that. I'm _not_ a child. I'm not _your_ child," Rottytops spat.

The voice seemed to hesitate for a brief moment. "I-I didn't mean—"

"I don't care!" Rottytops shouted, a hot anger starting to push some of the pain aside. "Just take me to it. The power."

"Power? What power?"

"You know what I mean. _'The power to set them all free.'_ That's what you told me."

"Listen . . . you're not ready for that—"

_"No,"_ Rottytops said in a deep growl, "_you're_ going to listen . . . you're going to listen to _me_ now. _Do you understand?"_

"I—yes . . . yes, of course."

_"Good. Now, take me there. Take me to the power."_

The voice grew silent.

Suddenly, Shantae felt an energy pulling at her. Rottytops squinted in the direction of the energy to see a light atop a nearby hill. Running on nothing but pure adrenaline, Rottytops climbed the hill and stumbled toward the light.

The brightness of the light faded as she grew closer. By the time Rottytops stopped, Shantae saw that she was standing in front of the same unmarked grave from before. But Rottytops no longer felt any fear. She fell to her knees and gazed into the light that focused into a circle at the center of the stone. Rottytops reached out and touched the circle.

Suddenly, the tombstone began to shake. Slowly, it sank into the ground. Once it was fully submerged, Shantae felt the ground start to pull Rottytops under as well. She didn't fight or struggle at all. Instead, she simply let the ground take her in.

Rottytops fell into a deep cavern. Landing in a pool of muddy water, she resurfaced and grabbed onto a ledge nearby. With her remaining strength, Rottytops pulled herself up and onto the ledge of a circular platform. At the center of the platform was a massive stone sphere.

Climbing to her feet, Rottytops approached the sphere. Without even needing to touch it, the sphere began to open. Inside, the sphere was empty. Without hesitation, Rottytops walked inside. She looked at the hundreds of tiny holes that dotted the walls of the sphere as they closed around her.

With exhaustion finally taking over, Rottytops collapsed. Silver ink seeped in from the holes and spread across her body, blotting out all her pain.

Before the silver ink swallowed her, and she fell unconscious, Rottytops smiled wide.


	9. Tale 8: Of Two Minds

**"Of Two Minds"**

With all of Sequin Land swimming through her head, Rottytops sat alone in darkness.

She found herself compelled to stay enclosed in the sphere atop her tower despite the calls from her people to join them in celebration of the Grey that gave them everything they never knew they needed.

She felt every bit of their joy—their thankfulness, gratitude, and unwavering devotion to her for showing them the way. She felt it all, and it never ceased to put a smile on her face.

Yet, as she dwelled in her sphere, something that she couldn't quite understand—something that started in the back of her mind—began to snake its way into her every thought.

"The ones who are missing. That's what it must be," she thought.

"Yes, that must be it," the others answered, taking her off guard for a moment before she remembered that they heard every thought of hers just as she heard every thought of theirs.

Rottytops wrapped her arms around her knees.

"You have visitors," the others told her, even though she already knew who was waiting for her outside the sphere.

"G-Great!" Rottytops exclaimed before getting to her feet. She braced herself for the outside world as the sphere unfolded. Within the spinning cloud wall that surrounded the land, skies were clear. Rottytops stood as the only source of color in a landscape of all grey. Her green hair and complexion remained unchanged. The only change came in her eyes—now a sharp silver.

Abner and Poe greeted her with smiles stretching from ear to ear. Rottytops, forcing a smile of her own, approached them slowly. "Hey . . . look at this, huh? We're . . . we're finally together!"

"It's wonderful," they both said in synchrony.

Rottytops let out a stifled laugh as her eyes darted between them. "That's . . . yeah . . . good. Good." She swallowed hard while doing her best to avoid their unwavering stares. "So, um . . . what've, uh, you two been up to? Since the Grey and all that?"

They laughed. "You know what we've been up to!"

Rottytops coughed. "That—that's true. I do know . . . but—but maybe, um, you could just . . . tell me anyway? Just for . . . you know . . . conversation . . . I guess . . . ."

"Of course, my Queen," they said, bowing their heads slightly, "we'd be happy to."

"Um," Rottytops said quickly, shaking her head, "don't—please, don't call me that. I'm . . . I'm not 'Queen,' okay? I'm just . . . Rottytops. Your sister. Same as before."

"Understood," they said.

"And," she said, fidgeting her hands, "maybe—could you just . . . not. Not do _that."_

They gazed at her with their heads cocked to the side. "Not do what, my Queen?"

Rottytops's nostrils flared. "Not say the same thing at the same exact time, that's what! And you did it again! You called me—" She stopped herself as she felt them recoil from her anger.

"Are we . . . _doing wrong?"_

Soon, Rottytops felt a despair—the collective despair of all her people—pierce her. She winced. "No, no, no," she said, pleading, "it's okay. Just . . . just don't worry about it . . . don't worry . . . please . . . ."

Their sadness started to fade away. "It's okay?" they said.

As the despair left her, Rottytops closed her eyes and breathed in deep. "Yes . . . yes . . . this . . . this whole thing . . . we just need some time. To get used to things. That's all. It'll feel normal soon enough. It just needs time . . . right?"

Suddenly, she sensed something that stole her attention. Rottytops muttered a hasty farewell to Abner and Poe before withdrawing to her sphere and closing out the world once more.

She focused in on a group of her sea creatures who had spotted a strange mermaid just outside their reach. They tried to reel her in, but she inevitably broke free. However, the mermaid outsider apparently came into contact with the Grey before escaping.

As the sphere filled up with the silver ink, a smile crept its way across Rottytops's face. "This is it," she thought, "this _has_ to be her!"

Once the ink filled the entire sphere, Rottytops floated in the very center, breathing in, allowing the silver ink to fill her lungs. The blackness soon gave way, and Rottytops found herself standing in Shantae's Lighthouse. "It _is_ her!" Rottytops said, bouncing lightly on her toes. She surveyed the Lighthouse, noticing that it appeared oddly abandoned. Cobwebs hung in the corners and a thick layer of dust covered every surface.

With no sign of Shantae inside, Rottytops made her way out the front door. Her eyes grew wide as she saw her friend lying unconscious on the ground beside the nearby palm tree.

She rushed to Shantae's side. Immediately, Rottytops noticed the Grey that was spreading from her left foot—now up to her knee. "Wait . . ." Rottytops thought aloud, "something's not right . . . . The Grey . . . it's still spreading. She's here too soon. How is that possible?"

"Perhaps it's because she's outside our kingdom . . ." the Collective suggested to her. "Or it's just because she's part Genie. We knew she'd be a little different."

"That's true . . . ."

"In any case . . . she just needs more time."

As soon as Shantae came to, Rottytops pushed aside her worries. Shantae blinked as she fought to regain her senses. Panic quickly set in, sending her scooting away from Rottytops until her back rested flat against the tree.

"Hey," Rottytops said, beaming, "it's okay! It's just me . . . Rottytops! Everything's fine now!"

Shantae placed a hand to her chest, trembling. "Rottytops? Wh-Where am I?"

"Your Lighthouse! Well . . . not _really_ . . . . We're in the Void . . . which is kind of like a bridge, I guess . . . halfway between your mind and our—I mean, _my_—mind!"

"How long was I trapped? I-It felt like _weeks!"_

"Huh? _Trapped?_ What are you talking about? It's only been a few minutes since—"

_"A few minutes?_ No way! I was stuck in your mind for _way_ longer than a few minutes!"

"Did you just say that you were . . . _stuck in my mind?"_

"Yeah! I-I saw your memories! A-And I _felt_ them, too! But . . . how did I get here? _The Void?_ Is that what you said? This isn't real? Why—wait . . . are your eyes . . . _silver?"_

"Whoa, hold on a second," Rottytops said, holding up a palm, _"what_ memories? What did you see?"

"It started on the day you went missing . . . . There was some creepy voice and a gravestone and this huge sphere thing that filled up with that gross silver gunk—"

Rottytops's stomach twisted in knots. "You . . . you saw all that?"

"Yeah! And—and then I . . . I can't remember a whole lot. There were just . . . _feelings._ All these feelings. I-I don't know . . . ."

"You shouldn't have had to go through any of that," Rottytops said, staring off into the distance.

"But you did?" Shantae asked, placing a hand to her forehead. "Those things _really_ happened to you?" She froze when she caught sight of the Grey that claimed most of her left leg. _"Wh-What is that!?"_

As Shantae started to squirm, Rottytops pulled herself together and grabbed her friend gently by the shoulders. "Shantae . . ._ please _. . . just relax. You're with me. You're safe now."

Shantae pointed to her leg. "B-But what about—"

"Don't worry about that."

_"Don't worry about it?"_ Shantae said, blinking. _"Are you serious?_ Last time I checked, people's legs don't just start turning grey out of the blue, Rottytops!"

"It looks worse than it really is. It'll go away soon enough. You just can't focus on it so much."

"It'll go away . . . if I don't think about it?"

"Exactly," Rottytops said with a smile before taking a seat next to her under the palm tree. "So why don't you chat with me? It's been so long!"

Shantae relaxed her muscles a bit. "O-Okay . . . I guess." She huffed. "There's . . . there's just so much going on right now. I have so many questions. But my mind . . . I just can't . . ._ focus_ right. There's so much I'm forgetting . . . I know it! What am I—"

"You're thinking too much—that's your problem. Give your mind a break for a little while, would you?"

"I just . . . I can't get over—I can't stop thinking about your memories . . . they were—they were _so awful._ So much pain . . . Rottytops, I-I wish I knew—"

"No," she said, shaking her head, "look . . . I'm sorry you had to see those things. A lot has changed since then. _I've_ changed a lot. I know so much more now . . . ."

"Know more about what?"

"Well . . . do you remember the last time we spoke? I know I went about the whole thing the wrong way. I should've never made you get all angry like that. That wasn't right. Your anger was just the only way I knew to get the real you to show itself. Now I know the _right way_ to set you free. No anger. No pain. You'll feel nothing but . . . _serenity."_

Shantae's eyes narrowed as she studied Rottytops. "Did you just use the word 'serenity?'"

"Yeah . . . what's the problem?"

"I-I've never—you just sound . . . _different."_

"Like I said . . . I've changed. But I've changed for the better, Shantae. What's wrong with that?"

Shantae bit at her lip. "No . . . nothing. There's nothing wrong with changing for the better . . . it's just . . . what was it, _exactly,_ that made you change?"

Rottytops, sensing Shantae's growing unease, tried to soften her smile a bit more. "I've made a lot of new friends recently. I'd like to think that they've helped me change. And I hope I helped them change, too."

Shantae scooted a bit further from her. "Is that so? And it had nothing to do with that voice . . . or that—that horrible goop—" Shantae looked back down to see that the Grey now covered her entire left leg. "_You're lying!_ It's not going away!" she shouted with eyebrows furrowed.

"I told you. You shouldn't—"

Shantae stood up, using the tree to stay balanced. "No, no, no. Don't tell me not to think about it! You're _lying_ to me! You're not the _real_ Rottytops!"

Rottytops gaped at her. "What?" she said as she climbed to her feet.

"You heard me! You're _not_ Rottytops! I know! I can tell!"

"That's ridiculous, Shantae—"

"You sound _nothing_ like her! You—" Shantae stopped to scan the area around her. "Wait . . . where am I?"

"I already said. The bridge thing? Remember? Between your mind and—"

"No. I mean where am I _really?_ In the _real_ world?"

"On a boat . . . a ways offshore . . . ."

Shantae's eyes widened. _"That's it. That's_ what I was forgetting. The clouds! The wall of clouds and the grey water! It—it's surrounding all of Sequin Land! It's trapped everyone! It—" Shantae paused. She leered at Rottytops. "It's changed them . . . _you," _she said, pointing at her, _"you . . . you_ changed them. _You're_ behind all this. _You_ released that nightmare, _didn't you?"_

Rottytops stopped smiling. She started pacing back and forth, keeping her eyes on her feet. "She isn't seeing things right," she thought. "Why isn't she starting to understand?"

"More time . . ." the Collective spoke to her mind, "she just needs more time."

_"Let me out of here!"_ Shantae demanded. "Let me out of here _right now!"_

Rottytops stopped pacing to face her. "I can't do that, Shantae. You're not ready yet."

Shantae held up her fists. _"Let me out._ I won't ask again."

"Shantae, you won't—" Suddenly, an idea struck her. Rottytops hid a grin before looking back at Shantae with big eyes. "Fine. If you want to leave that badly . . . to leave me again . . . then go ahead. Attack me. Even though I'm just trying to be a good friend—"

_"You're not my friend! You're not Rottytops!"_ Shantae shouted. She shut her eyes and swung her hair back before whipping it forward with all her might.

Because of Shantae's weakened state, the attack did little more than lightly brush Rottytops's arm; however, she acted as if she received a fierce blow. She threw herself to the ground.

Rottytops, feigning pain, glanced up at Shantae. She already felt the guilt emanating from her.

"Shantae . . . please . . . I-I just . . . I just wanted to help you! After all the times you helped me . . . after all the bad things I did to you . . . for once . . . I thought I could . . . help you . . . ."

Rottytops knew she had her by the hook.

Shantae dropped her fists. "No . . . no . . . don't . . . ."

"You don't even think I'm _me!_ You—you think I'm some sort of . . . _monster!"_

"No . . . no," Shantae said, swaying slightly, "I don't—I don't know what to think . . . . I'm just _so—so confused . . . ."_

Rottytops studied Shantae with knitted eyebrows. "That's what I've been trying to help you with!"

"With . . . what?"

Rottytops got up and sauntered toward her. "That confusion you feel. I know why it's there."

"Wh-Why?"

_"Because you're broken, Shantae._ I heard you say it yourself. That incident . . . with the Lamp. How it tore you in two. How you still feel that tear."

Shantae fell silent. She grabbed at her heart as she stared off, lost in Rottytops's words.

"I can make up for what I did . . . . _I can fix it,_ Shantae. I can make you whole again! That's what this is all about! So . . . will you let me?"

Shantae snapped out of her trance to find Rottytops mere inches from her. "W-Wait—"

"Let me show you what it feels like to be whole again."

Before she could respond, Rottytops rested her forehead against hers. Like a lightning bolt, a wave of feelings struck Shantae, sending her to her knees. Rottytops watched Shantae gasp for air as if she could finally breathe again after being suffocated for so long.

A wide smile crossed Rottytops's face once more. She rested a hand on Shantae's shoulder. "That was a lot to take in at once. I know. I'm going to give you some time to process it all, okay? By the time I come back, you'll see everything so much clearer. I promise."

Rottytops started toward the Lighthouse door. But just as she reached for the knob, she heard Shantae mutter something. She turned around. "Did you say something?" Rottytops walked back to her side. "Shantae?"

_". . . not fair . . . ."_

Rottytops tilted her head to the side. "Not fair? What's not fair?"

Suddenly, Shantae fell forward onto her hands, sobbing.

Rottytops's face grew pale. "What—why—why are you _crying?"_

"Rotty . . ." she said between sobs, "how _could_ you? How—how could you _do this_ to me?"

"What do you mean? I-I _helped_ you . . . ."

"What you're doing . . . it's _so_ cruel, Rotty. It's _so, so_ cruel. You've hurt me before. You've hurt me. But _this? This,_ Rotty? How _could_ you? _How could you manipulate me like this?"_

_"Manipulate?_ I-I'm not—"

"I-I don't want to lose myself, Rotty. Don't take it all away from me . . . _please. Please_ stop this. _Please . . . ."_

"D-Don't cry . . . Shantae? Why—y-you shouldn't be like this . . . I-I helped you . . . I—"

Rottytops fought to think of something to say, something to do to get her to stop crying, but instead, she found herself backing away. She ran for the door, pulled it open, and entered the darkness.

* * *

When Rottytops opened her eyes, she was back in her sphere, which had already drained of the silver ink. She sat up, breathing heavily, as she fought to pull off the ink that remained stuck to skin and clothes. Rottytops got to her feet and started pacing around the sphere. She soon felt her anxiety magnified as the rest of Sequin Land reflected her same worry.

"What's wrong, our Queen? Why do you feel—"

Rottytops gritted her teeth. An anger inside her overruled the feelings cast on her by her people. "What do you _think_ is wrong?" she shouted. "You . . . all of you! You all told me . . . you told me that we could do this! That she would be different, but not _that_ different. 'She—she'll just need more time.' Right? Isn't that what you said? What you keep telling me? Well, you can't say that anymore! _You can't!"_

Her people's anxiety turned to despair once more, but it didn't affect Rottytops this time.

"No," Rottytops continued, shaking her head over and over, "she doesn't want this. She doesn't want it. Did you see her in there? She should be—be _so happy_ right now . . . _happy!_ But she's _not_ _happy!_ She's—" Rottytops paused, struggling to catch her breath. "It _isn't_ working. This _isn't_ right."

"It's the _only_ way . . ." they said.

_"No!"_ she shouted, her voice echoing in the spherical chamber, _"it can't be! It just can't!"_

Rottytops activated the silver ink again. By the time she stood neck-deep in the silver ink, her anger had dissolved. All she had left was her own despair.

"I shouldn't take this out on all of you. I messed up. This is my fault. Not yours."

"What will you do?"

She didn't have an answer as her head sank into the ink.

* * *

Rottytops stared at the door that led out of the Lighthouse. Nearly every part of her wanted to run, to escape to her sphere once more, but she wouldn't.

Outside, Rottytops saw Shantae leaning up against the palm tree. With the Grey now up to her neck, she stared vacantly out at the horizon.

Rottytops approached slowly. She knelt beside her friend and tried to make eye contact, but Shantae appeared as if she didn't know Rottytops was even there.

"Hey . . ." Rottytops said, glancing down, "I'm . . . I'm back."

Shantae didn't move. Her breathing had grown slow and her eyes heavy.

"I'm sorry, Shantae. I-I shouldn't have left. I should've never left." Rottytops fidgeted. "But I won't again. I won't leave you. I'll be right here . . . no matter what."

"Do you remember?"

Rottytops's head perked up, surprised at the sound of Shantae's voice.

"Wh-What?" Rottytops asked.

"Do you remember?" she repeated. Her voice was flat, lifeless. "When we first met?"

A small smile returned to Rottytops's face. "Y-Yeah. Of course. Of course, I do. You came to me asking about the Simmer Stone. You wanted me to show you how to get into the Cackle Mound . . . to get the stone."

"But you wouldn't do it . . . not at first."

Rottytops let out a short laugh. "No . . . no, I didn't, did I? I made you race me."

"If I won, you'd show me the way . . . ."

"And if I won, you'd give me your brains," Rottytops said, laughing again. "You still owe me those by the way . . . ." She stopped laughing when she noticed that Shantae's empty gaze remained unchanged. "Wh-Why are you thinking about all that anyway?"

"That race . . . before that race . . . I'd already been through so much. I was in the middle of my first true adventure. My first true test as a Guardian Genie. It was so exciting . . . but the stakes were so high. If I failed . . . Risky would've destroyed Scuttle Town. She would've destroyed _everything . . . everyone_ I cared about. There was so much pressure . . . ."

Shantae's eyes finally met hers, sending a chill down her spine.

"During that race, though," Shantae continued, "when I was running next to you . . . all that pressure . . . it was _gone._ I was just . . . _having fun._ Nothing else mattered. In that moment . . . I felt _free."_

Rottytops didn't know what to say.

"No matter what's happening . . . no matter what I'm going through . . . you somehow always had this way . . . a way to help me feel like that . . . _free._ Free to be _me._ My true self." Shantae closed her eyes tight. _"That_ you . . . that's the _real you,_ Rottytops . . . not _this."_

Rottytops stared at her for a moment longer before finally lowering her head. Slowly, she stood up. "When you leave here . . ." she said, "it'll come back."

Shantae's eyes shot open. She looked down at her body. The Grey was gone.

She quickly climbed to her feet as Rottytops started back toward the Lighthouse door.

"R-Rottytops?"

"The tear," Rottytops continued, "it'll come back. There's nothing I can do about it once you leave here."

"I can live with that," Shantae said, teary-eyed. "What I can't live without are my friends, my home, my family . . . _you."_

Rottytops stopped before the door. "Just because I'm letting you—I . . . I'm going to find a way. I'm going to find a way for you to understand. This is not—I'm not giving up on you."

"I'm not giving up on you, either."

Rottytops paused to glance at Shantae one last time before opening the door and retreating to the darkness.


	10. Tale 9: New Light

**"New Light"**

A bright light stirred Shantae from her slumber. Squinting, she groaned, "Wha—s-stop with that . . . ."

A shadowy figure stepped in front of the light. "Finally awake, are we?"

Instantly, Shantae recognized the voice. "R-Risky?" she said. A panic washed over her, kicking her senses back on. She then realized that she was sitting on a cold wood floor with her hands shackled to a metal pole behind her.

"In the flesh," Risky said with a grin.

After managing to get to her feet, Shantae asked, "Where am I?"

"Aboard my ship." Risky paced around slowly—not once taking her eyes off Shantae's. "So, I suggest you do exactly as I say. Understood?"

Shantae fought against her restraints briefly before pausing to let out a sigh. "You've got to be kidding me," she said, "first, my mind almost gets turned to mashed potatoes, and now _you?_ What do you want to do to me, huh? Turn me into a werepirate?"

"A _what?"_

"A werepirate! You know . . . when there's a full moon . . . you turn into—look, _it's a thing!_ I read about it somewhere!"

Risky closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's fine," she called out. Her words, however, were not directed at Shantae. "She's the same naive runt she's always been. We've got nothing to worry about."

Shantae scanned the area, but the light in her view made it hard to see anything else nearby. "Who are you talking to?"

Risky shut off the light, leaving Shantae seeing spots until her eyes readjusted. When they did, she looked up. Her face beamed as Sky and Mimic approached—both sporting wide smiles themselves.

"You—you're okay! You're both okay!" Shantae said, teary-eyed.

Mimic immediately pulled her into a tight hug. "I was so worried . . . . We found you unconscious in my boat . . . your body was almost completely grey. We couldn't do anything but watch and hope it'd go away. And it did! Thank goodness, it did!"

"How did you escape? I-I didn't think anyone made it out . . . ."

"We did just barely," Sky said.

"All thanks to me," Risky chimed in.

Shantae raised an eyebrow as she stared at Risky. "I have so many questions right now."

"So do we," said Mimic, finally releasing her from his hug. "So how about we get you out of—"

Before Mimic could finish his sentence, Shantae set her hands aflame. The heat from her fire quickly turned the iron shackles red. She pulled, bursting them into smoldering hunks of metal that scattered across the floor.

Shantae noticed the shock on the others' faces. "What?"

"I mean . . ." said Sky, "she was just about to let you go, so it was a bit—"

"Unnecessary," Risky said with a scowl.

Shantae crossed her arms. "What you call unnecessary, I call style. Also . . ." she said, fixing her gaze on Sky with a menacing smile. "I couldn't wait any longer . . . ."

Sky took a step backward. "I don't like that look in your eye . . ." she said. Before she could make another move, Shantae leapt at her and crushed her between her arms.

Sky struggled to breathe. "Sh-Shantae! Please—"

"_No!"_ she cried, "don't you _dare_ fight it! My hugs will _not_ be denied!"

"_Gross,"_ Risky muttered, rolling her eyes as she started for the nearby doorway. "I can't watch this anymore. Hurry up and get yourselves together, will you? There's much to be done."

"_You're just jealous!"_ Shantae called after her as she marched out the door and out of sight.

Sky patted Shantae on the back. "Okay, Shantae . . . you get the hug bug out of your system, yet?"

"No. The hug bug . . . it's got me, Sky. It's got me bad this time. There's no stopping it now. So, get comfortable. We're in for a long one."

* * *

Shantae, Sky, and Mimic walked up the creaky steps to the deck above. There, Shantae saw Risky's tinkerbats scuttling about. Three tinkerbats, holding pens and small pieces of parchment, knelt at the base of a tall, wide bookcase. A fourth stood on a small stepladder, holding a book above its head that was nearly the same size as its entire body.

Perched atop the bookcase was Risky Boots. She laid on her side, holding her head up with one hand, as she read from the book that the poor tinkerbat was forced to hold aloft. On her every word, the three tinkerbats below would scribble furiously to make note of exactly what she said.

After examining the scene, Shantae, Sky, and Mimic made their way to a round table just in front of the bookcase. Mimic took a seat at the table, briefly gaping at the mess of papers before him—each page littered with his scribbled notes.

On the other side of the table sat a stack of books. Sky picked up a tattered book from the nearest stack and began flipping through its pages as she paced around. Shantae pushed a chair aside so she could sit on the table with her feet dangling unobstructed.

Risky, acting as if she didn't notice the three of them arrive, continued her work. "What was her place of origin again? Mud Bog Island? I doubt it'll be useful to know, but remind me anyway," she said, briefly taking her eyes from the book to leer at the three tinkerbats below. They looked at each other for a moment before shuffling wildly through their notes.

Once Risky finally glanced Shantae's way, she caught sight of her glare. "What are you looking at, runt?"

"The lying, thieving, no-good pirate who nearly enslaved the entire Genie Realm . . . my mother included," Shantae said before pointing at Sky, "and apparently gave my best friend all those bruises!"

Risky smiled. "Feisty today, I see," she said with a laugh as she waved the tinkerbats away. "And still sore from our last meeting no less. Hmm . . . I wonder why that is?" Risky continued, tapping a finger against her chin. "Perhaps it's because I played you, your uncle, and your precious Genies like a fiddle . . . ."

"I stopped you . . . _again._ So, don't act like you won anything."

"You got lucky . . . _again._ Which, by the way, is the only reason you're not a mindless puppet right now—or, should I say, _more_ of a mindless puppet than you already are."

Shantae stood up and clenched her fists. "What you tried to do to the Genies is not _that_ much different than what's happening to all of Sequin Land _right now!_ So, what . . . I'm supposed to just _trust you again?_ How do I know you're not planning to use this as an opportunity to take over Sequin Land for yourself?"

"You don't."

Shantae shook her head before eyeing Sky and Mimic. "Why are you both trusting her?"

"Well . . . she did help us escape," said Sky.

"She could just be manipulating you! It's not like she hasn't done _that_ before!"

"Look," Risky said, dropping from the bookcase to stand toe-to-toe with Shantae, "I don't care what you think, darling. I don't care if you trust me or not. _But _. . . if you continue to waste my time, I will leave you where those puppets can grab you and turn your brain to mush because knowing that you've been reduced to nothing more than a _mindless tool_ is _far_ more satisfying than any other fate that I could _possibly_ think to befall upon you!"

"You said a lot of words just now, and you know what? _I didn't like any of them!"_ Shantae shouted.

Mimic got up to stand between the two. "Would you both stop! We'll get nowhere like this! If we want to save Sequin Land, we have to work as a team!"

Shantae turned away and crossed her arms. "Fine . . . but I don't want to have to look at her dumb face."

"What makes you think I want to look at _your_ dumb face?" Risky shot back.

Mimic sighed. "Okay . . . that's a start . . . I guess. . . ."

Sky smiled at Mimic before glowering at the other two. "Mimic's right. Stop acting like children, and let's keep working on our plan. We still don't know enough about this Monster Queen. We have to—"

"Monster Queen?" Shantae asked.

Sky tossed Shantae the book. "We've been reading as many books as we can get our hands on to learn more about what's going on," she said.

"There's not a whole lot written to go off of," Mimic added, "but apparently this has happened before. The one who was behind it was known as the Monster Queen."

While flipping through the book's pages, Shantae spotted an illustration depicting legions of people, animals, and monsters bowing before a figure standing atop a massive tower.

"According to legend," Mimic continued, "she was an extremely powerful 'enchantress of the undead' who created a magic that allowed her to control the will of others. At first, she used her power only to ensnare monster species. But, as her powers grew, she learned to control almost all living things. They say that she could manipulate someone simply by whispering in their ear. The Genies were the only ones who were unaffected by her power. But, before the Genies even caught wind of her, she already had an army devoted to her. This army, 'the Collective,' built the Tangled Tower, which helped her harness her power even further. And when the Genies made their first move to stop her, she activated the Tower—sending a pulse that scattered all Light Magic far from Sequin Land. The Genies were left in shambles, forced to flee, as she unleashed the true power of the Tangled Tower—the Grey. Nothing that made contact with the Grey could resist her. Just like that, Sequin Land was all hers . . . her kingdom—the Tangled Kingdom.

Not much is written about the time during her rule. However, the texts do seem to agree on how her rule came to an end. The Genies regrouped and eventually found a 'cure' for the Grey. None of the texts say what this cure was, but they do say that the Genies used the cure to save some of those who the Monster Queen had enslaved. According to a few texts, one of those who they set free was a nefarious pirate captain. And get this—the pirate actually teamed up with the Genies! They formed a plan to trick the Monster Queen into drinking the cure, which would inevitably be the cause of her demise.

Before her death, the Monster Queen declared that one day, from beyond the grave, she would find a worthy successor to pass her 'gift' onto . . . a successor who would reawaken the Collective and reclaim the kingdom she lost . . . . Now, after all this time . . . it seems she finally found that successor. Who? We don't know yet . . . ."

Mimic glimpsed at Shantae who was staring off. "Sorry for the history lesson . . . I just wanted to make sure you knew everything—"

"It all makes sense," Shantae said, grabbing the attention of the others, "the voice . . . it was the Monster Queen. That's who she was hearing . . . ."

"_Voice?"_ asked Risky, "what _voice?_ And who exactly is _'she?'"_

Shantae slowly turned to face Sky, Risky, and Mimic. She closed her eyes for a moment before returning her sights on them. "I know . . . the Monster Queen . . . the _new_ Monster Queen . . . I know who it is . . . ."

* * *

"I-I can't believe . . ." Risky said, shaking her head, "out of anyone . . . it's that _zombie brat?_ How could someone like _her_ possibly be able to pull off something like this?"

"I should've listened to Poe," Sky said, "he told me something wasn't right with her. That she was the one behind the coffee. But I-I never thought that it could lead . . . lead to _this!"_

"Coffee?" Shantae asked, "what are you talking about?"

"A few days before the Tower rose, all the coffee in Sequin Land went missing. And apparently not just the mainland, either. We spent the last two days sailing to as many other islands as we could . . . looking for anyone willing to lend us a hand, which . . . didn't go so well—"

"Cowards," Risky interjected.

"But . . . anyway . . . on every island, the locals we talked to told us that their coffee vanished, too. Then the monsters on each island began to migrate in waves . . . in the direction of Sequin Land. Rottytops must've somehow ordered the monsters to take all the coffee before joining her."

Suddenly, Shantae's eyes lit up. "That's not true," she said.

"Huh?"

Shantae slapped herself on the forehead. "I can't believe I almost forgot!" She quickly turned to Risky. "What did you do with it?"

"What did I do with _what?"_

"The sack of coffee! I-It was on the boat! The sailboat!"

Risky pulled her glare toward the tinkerbats scurrying about in the background. "HEY!" she shouted, causing all her men to freeze in place. "Did anyone check the sailboat like I ordered?"

Risky was met with no response.

"GO CHECK THE BOAT! NOW!"

Immediately, every tinkerbat in sight rushed up the steps to the top deck. Within a minute, they returned with the sack of coffee.

Risky snatched it away from them and opened the bag to peek inside. She resealed the bag and placed it on the table. Then, through narrowed eyes, Risky studied Shantae. "How did you find this?"

"I—" Shantae paused to think over her words carefully. "It was a . . ._ gift _. . . from a friend."

"And who is this _friend_ of yours, exactly?" Risky asked.

"That's not important—"

"Seems like it might be important . . ." said Sky.

"_All that matters_ . . . okay? _All that matters_ is that my friend . . . my friend gave that coffee to me _for a reason._ This can't be a coincidence. I mean . . . just think about it! Why? Why would Rottytops _need_ to take all the coffee?"

"To cause all the good zombies to turn into bad ones," Sky said, "I guess that allowed her to take control of them."

Shantae shook her head. "No. That doesn't add up," she said.

"How so?" Risky said with an eyebrow raised.

"She has the Tangled Tower . . . the Grey . . . wouldn't that be enough to take over the mind of _any_ zombie—good or bad? So why would she even need to worry about the coffee in the first place?"

Risky's head perked up.

"Well," Sky said, "from what Poe told me, Rotty seemed to think that coffee was 'holding them back.' So, she probably did it because she wanted them to see things in the same twisted way she does."

"Perhaps," Risky said, "but maybe there was another reason."

The others eyed her, waiting for her to continue.

"What if the coffee presented a _bigger_ problem . . . one that she needed taken care of in order for her plan to work . . . ."

Shantae nodded, smiling wide. "Exactly! She wanted to get rid of it all because _it's the cure! The coffee is the cure for the Grey!"_

Sky and Mimic's mouths dropped.

"Seriously? Coffee?" Mimic said.

"It somehow stops zombies from turning into monsters, doesn't it? So, would this really be _that_ strange?"

"I think it's all pretty strange . . ." said Sky.

Risky began pacing back and forth.

"What do you think?" Sky asked her.

"I think we may now have a chance," she said before stopping to point at Mimic. "Old man . . . start running tests on this at once."

Mimic nodded. "Good idea. But I'm going to need some help."

"My men will do whatever you need of them. Just don't muck it up."

Risky waited for Mimic to grab the coffee and join the tinkerbats at a table on the other side of the deck. She then turned to Sky. "Still have that egg of yours?"

Sky reached for the leather messenger bag that occupied one of the vacant chairs at the table and pulled out the large, egg-shaped crystal from inside.

"What is that?" Shantae asked.

"A Light Shard," Sky answered. "Well . . . it _was_ a Light Shard."

"The pulse from the Tangled Tower stripped it of its Light Magic," Risky explained. She took the crystal from Sky and shoved it into Shantae's arms. "So now _you_ need to get it back."

"You want me to fill this thing with Light Magic? I don't know how to do that . . . ."

"Typical. Well, you better figure it out."

After examining the crystal in her hands, Shantae peered back at Risky. "What's this about? Clearly you have some plan in the works. Care to fill us in?"

"In time. For now, I suggest you do what I say," Risky said before glancing at Sky. "As for you . . . combat training begins at sundown."

Sky blinked. "Wait . . . _what?_ Combat training?"

"Did I stutter? Yes. Combat training. The only way in which you can _possibly_ be of any value to me is if you can hold your own in battle. Right now . . . you can't. Not without your little birdies around to save you. Nonetheless, I _might_ still be able to get some value out of you yet. No matter how insignificant that value may be . . . I'll take what I can get. So, you're going to learn how to fight . . . from me."

"_You?"_ Shantae said, leering at Risky. _"You_ want to train Sky personally?"

"Absolutely not. But I'm the only one I trust to get the job done right."

Sky took a moment to think before looking to Risky with furrowed eyebrows. "Okay . . . I'll train with you."

"Be on the main deck at sundown," Risky ordered. "You don't want to know what will happen if you keep me waiting."

* * *

Both Risky and Sky held their wooden practice swords at the ready as they circled each other. Only the stars above and the torches encircling Risky's makeshift arena offered any light.

Sweating and out of breath, Sky assured her grip on her weapon, waiting for Risky to make a move. Then, in a flash, Risky thrust her sword at Sky's legs. Sky blocked the attack, but Risky easily pushed her sword aside, leaving Sky off-balance. Risky punished her with a whack on the leg.

"Hey!" Sky shouted, rubbing her thigh, "come on! Do you have to hit so hard?"

"Oh, I could've made it hurt _much_ worse, birdie. So, stop your whining and tell me . . . for the hundredth time . . . what you managed to fail at so spectacularly."

"I . . . I gave away all the leverage."

"And what should you have done differently?"

"I should've blocked your sword edge with the edge of my sword . . . not the flat."

Risky raised her sword. "All right. Let's go again. We're not stopping until you go a whole round without making stupid mistakes . . . understood?"

Sky clenched her jaw before lifting her own sword. She nodded.

From the crow's nest, Shantae watched Sky and Risky continue to spar on the main deck below. She grimaced as Sky took blow after blow. After a while, Shantae couldn't take any more. She sat down in the crow's nest. Her gaze soon found its way to Sky's messenger bag, which rested right beside her. She could see the crystal egg sticking out. It reflected the starlight from above.

Just as Shantae reached out to grab the crystal, she was startled by the sound of someone climbing up the ladder to the crow's nest. Mimic poked his head through the hole at the base of the nest.

"Hey," he said with a small smile, "I thought I might find you up here . . . . Think there's room for one more?"

"Yeah, of course," Shantae replied, returning the smile.

Mimic took a seat next to her. He twisted his body to peek over the side of the nest at the action below.

"Not going so well, huh?" he asked.

Shantae shook her head.

They sat in silence for a while. Shantae and Mimic exchanged glances but turned away as soon as their eyes met.

Shantae shifted in place and cleared her throat before finally speaking once more. "So . . . Sky told me a bit about the Genie Beacon . . . ."

Mimic froze. "Oh . . . okay . . . that's—that's good! I, um . . . that's actually what I came up here to talk to you about . . . ."

"That's what you've been working on this whole time, huh? And with Risky Boots? I got to say . . . I didn't see that one coming," Shantae said with a chuckle.

"Neither did I," he said. After letting out a short laugh, Mimic paused. "Shantae . . ." he muttered, "I . . . I should've told you . . . ."

Shantae looked back at him briefly before her eyes drifted away. "It's . . . fine . . . ."

"Fine?"

"Yeah! Totally! Don't . . . just don't worry about it . . . ."

Mimic studied her for a moment. "You—you're not upset _at all?_ Are you sure? I mean . . . I thought you said . . . in the Item Shop . . . back on the day Rottytops went missing . . . I thought you were upset because I was keeping things from you. And you have every right to be—"

"No, no . . . all that stuff I said that day . . . I-I didn't really mean it. I'm not . . . upset. I'm . . . I'm fine."

Mimic's shoulders slumped. "Oh . . . okay then . . . ."

Shantae fidgeted. "So . . . um . . . do you really think the Genie Beacon can help us contact the Genies?"

"Yeah . . . I do."

"Why would they—why would the Genies just . . . close themselves off like this?"

Mimic placed his hand on Shantae's shoulder. "Look . . . I'm sure it's just one big misunderstanding. I know your mother would never let anyone put up a wall between you and her. Never."

"Right . . ." Shantae said with a small smile.

* * *

Once Sky's first training session with Risky finally ended, Shantae descended the ladder and joined Sky, who was lying on the deck exhausted. Shantae laid next to her and gazed up at the stars.

"I hate everything," Sky mumbled.

"You don't have to keep doing this, you know. You don't owe her anything."

"It's not about her."

"What is it about?"

Sky didn't answer. Instead, she turned her head toward the wall of swirling cloud that was never far from view. "It's my fault, Shantae."

"Your fault? What are you talking about? What's your fault?"

"Bolo . . . I could've stopped him. I could've stopped him from staying behind . . . but I didn't . . . . And Wrench . . . oh, Wrench . . . the _one time_ . . . after _all_ the times he's been there for me . . . the _one time_ he needed me . . . I couldn't save him."

"Sky . . ."

"I failed them. But I won't fail them again. I can't. So, I'm going to do whatever it takes . . . whatever it takes to help end this nightmare."

"Okay . . . if training with Risky is what you really want to do . . . I'm behind you. Just don't be so hard on yourself. What happened wasn't your fault."

Sky turned back to Shantae and smiled. "All right . . . but enough about that. Where's my egg?"

Shantae sat up and reached for Sky's bag. She pulled out the crystal egg for Sky to see. "How'd you end up with this thing anyway?"

"My dad gave it to me for my birthday one year when I was little. For the longest time, I actually thought it was a real egg . . . . I did everything I could to care for it . . . hoping that one day it would hatch, and some magical bird made of light would come soaring out. My parents didn't have the heart to tell me the truth. Eventually, I figured it out on my own. I was so mad at them for not telling me . . . I wanted to smash it to pieces."

"_Smash it to pieces?_ Wow . . . I didn't realize you were such an angry child."

"If you had to live with my parents, you'd understand."

"Well, good thing it's still in one piece . . . too bad I have no idea how to make it light up again."

"Maybe . . . dance? Isn't that your thing?"

"It's not that simple," Shantae said, glancing at her sideways. "It's not like I just wiggle around, and suddenly magical things start happening!"

"Are you sure? Because that's what it looks like you do."

"Very funny."

"What about your fire? Or those cute clouds with the faces . . . how does that magic work?"

"I-I don't know! It just kind of happens! Sometimes I shout things, like _'fireball!'_ But that's just because it's fun to say! So . . . I don't know . . . ."

"All right . . . what's on your mind, Shantae? Something's bothering you. You can't hide it from me. I know you too well."

"What _isn't_ on my mind? The Genies . . . everyone trapped in Sequin Land . . . Rotty . . . it's just too much, Sky. I feel so lost in it all. And ever since . . ."

"Ever since what?"

"In the Void . . . Rotty . . . she . . . healed it. The tear."

Sky sat up. _"Really?"_

"Yeah . . . but it came back when I left . . . and now . . . it's worse than ever. It's like it's been ripped wide open. And now, everything's just . . . _numb._ I don't know what to think. I don't know how to feel."

"Shantae . . . you need to give yourself time to heal . . . . I know how hard that is . . . especially for you. But you need to. With a little time, you'll figure things out. I know you will."

Shantae sat up to pull Sky into a tight hug once more. "Thanks, Sky. You don't know how much I've missed you."

"Shantae . . ." Sky said, trying to wiggle out of Shantae's iron-grip, "please . . . please don't make this one as long as the last one."

"You know I can't make that sort of promise," Shantae said, grinning. To Sky's relief, Shantae's hug was cut short when they noticed a glimmer of light. Shantae's eyes widened, marveling at the light that now rested at the core of the Light Shard on her lap. She looked at Sky with her mouth hanging open. "Did I . . . _do it?"_

Sky examined the light. "Well . . . it's a start . . . but the light isn't anywhere near as bright as it was before. At least you know you _can_ do it though!"

"But _how?_ What did I—" Then Shantae thought for a moment before a wide smile crossed her face. _"It was the power of friendship, Sky!"_ she said. "Our friendship gave it light!"

"Ugh," Sky replied, shaking her head, "that's the corniest thing I've ever heard, Shantae. You're going to make me puke."

Shantae huffed. "I don't care if it's _corny!_ The power of friendship is _real_ and _beautiful,_ and _shut up!_ You're turning into Risky Jr.!"

"I am _not!_ Don't even say that!" Sky scowled.

* * *

With Risky's ship at max capacity, Shantae was left with two options as to where she could sleep—in the same room as the tinkerbats or in a tiny closet that was barely big enough to fit a bed. Without hesitation, she chose the closet.

For hours, Shantae tossed and turned in the rickety bed. Eventually, exhaustion got the best of her, and she drifted to sleep.

Shantae opened her eyes. Her sight slowly came into focus, and when it did, she discovered that she was lying in a hammock—her hammock in her Lighthouse.

"Huh?" Shantae muttered as she sat up. "What am I doing here? This can't be right . . . . I'm on Risky's ship. So, does that mean—_wait._ Am I in a _dream?"_ She got to her feet and started looking around. "Weird . . . I've never had a dream where I _actually know_ I'm dreaming! Too bad I'm just at home and not fighting a dragon or something cool. That's kind of a bummer . . . ."

Suddenly, Shantae heard a knock. She peered down at the front door.

Then came another knock.

Quietly, Shantae dropped down to the first floor. She approached the door. Just as she was about to open it, she heard a familiar voice call out.

"Shantae?" Rottytops shouted. "Hey, are you actually in there?"

"Y-Yeah . . ."

"You're dreaming right now, aren't you?"

Shantae froze. "Wh-What? How did you know that?"

"Wow! I can't believe it actually happened!"

"You . . . you're not just a part of my dream . . . are you?"

"Nope. This is the real me."

Shantae took a step back from the door. "What did you do to me now?"

"I didn't do anything!"

"Then tell me what this is! What's going on?"

"It seems like our minds still have some sort of connection. So . . . when you're dreaming . . . you end up back here in the Void with me. It's not really a big deal or anything . . . ."

"Oh, it's not, huh?"

"Nope. So . . . can you let me in now? I feel ridiculous talking to a door."

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Because! How do I know my Lighthouse isn't, like, a _metaphor_ or something?"

"A _metaphor?_ Are you serious?"

"Yeah! What if the Lighthouse represents my mind? What if it's really a _mindhouse!_ And if I let you in my mindhouse, then you could make me think whatever you want!"

"That's ridiculous, Shantae. Even if I could control your mind—which I can't—I wouldn't."

"So, I'm just supposed to take you for your word? I don't think so."

"Fine . . . do you want me to leave then?"

Shantae thought it over for a moment. "No . . . you can stay. But out there!"

"All right . . . I guess I'll just sit up against the door . . . ."

During the break in conversation, Shantae surveyed the room before finally deciding to join Rottytops by sitting against her own side of the door.

"How did you know this would happen?" Shantae asked.

"I didn't know. It was just a hunch . . . based on some of the things I've learned in here since we last spoke."

"Wait . . . you've been in that silver goop this _whole time?_ You haven't left at all?"

"I don't really see a point in leaving anymore. And look! It's given me another chance to convince you to join me!"

"Rottytops . . . you're never going to convince me. Why would I _choose_ to be brainwashed?"

"It's not being brainwashed! It's—ugh, I just wish you'd listen to me! I could show you the good that's come out of all this! The Grey . . . it's done so much! It nourishes everyone and everything. No one has to hunt or fight. Nothing has to die. Predator or prey . . . none of that matters anymore! We're all equal! We're all free! That's why everyone chose to stay here with me!"

"You honestly believe that they _chose_ to be a part of your 'kingdom?'"

"Yes."

"Rottytops . . ."

"What? It's true! I never forced anyone to join! They joined willingly!"

"No! No, they didn't! The Grey made their minds go blank, Rottytops! If they couldn't think for themselves, what else could they possibly do but follow you?"

"You're not seeing things clearly. Whatever happened with you and my memories messed up the way you look at it all . . . . But that won't matter soon. I'm close to finding it. And when I do . . . then you'll see that I was right all along."

"What do you mean? What are you close to finding?"

Shantae waited for an answer but didn't get one. Soon, a bright light enveloped the room. Shantae closed her eyes, shielding herself from the light. When she opened them again, she was back in the rickety bed on Risky's ship.


	11. Tale 10: Come Back

**"Come Back"**

_**23 days remaining . . .**_

"Listen up, losers."

Sitting on cargo boxes amongst a crowd of tinkerbats, Shantae, Sky, and Mimic frowned at Risky. She stood tall atop a box to address her audience.

"As of now, the Monster Queen has an army of thousands, while I'm stuck with twenty-one little creeps, one geezer, and two brats . . . ."

Shantae raised her hand.

"You don't have to raise your hand, you moron," said Risky. "Just say what you have to say already."

"What happened to your fun hat? Did you lose it again?"

Risky instinctively grabbed at her head for a hat that wasn't there.

Through clenched teeth, Risky grunted. "First of all, it's none of your business what happened to my hat!"

"She lost it again," Sky whispered to Shantae.

"Second of all," Risky continued, glaring at them, "my hat is not _fun._ It's the mark of a pirate captain of unparalleled power that is to be feared by the masses!"

"Well, I think it's fun."

"Are you done?" Risky asked.

"Yup . . . you may continue insulting us," Shantae said.

"Wonderful. As I was saying, you all suck. But it looks like we've got a shot at stopping the Monster Queen in spite of your collective suckage." Risky eyed Mimic. "Update the others on your findings, will you, old man?"

Mimic cleared his throat. "Sure . . . so, after running some tests, we discovered that coffee is indeed the cure for the Grey. Those infected return to normal seconds after ingesting coffee. Furthermore, coffee provides a sort of immunity, which would allow us to come into contact with the Grey without being infected; however, that immunity is only temporary. After some time, the coffee's effect wears off, and we'd be susceptible to infection once again."

"If we're frugal enough," Risky said, "we should have enough coffee for each of us to get one cup. But that's it. So, the moment after we drink that coffee, we _have_ to make our move."

"How much time will we have until the coffee's effect wears off?" asked Sky.

"I can't say for sure," Mimic answered, "but not much. Probably around two hours or so."

"Now," Risky said, gathering everyone's attention once more, "upon landfall, our top priority is to contact the Genies by activating the Genie Beacon. Based on what we know about the Genies' struggle against the first Monster Queen, it's unlikely that they'll have the power to simply wish all our problems away. However, they should, at the very least, provide us with more coffee, which we can then use to cure those who are infected and, as a result, turn the Monster Queen's army against her. This means, unfortunately, no decapitations, gutting, or the like. We must keep enemy combatants alive. The most effective way of doing so will be to subdue them using knock-out rounds."

Risky pulled out her pistol and shot a tinkerbat. Shantae, Sky, and Mimic screamed until they noticed that the tinkerbat received no wound from the bullet and appeared unphased. After a few more seconds, however, the tinkerbat collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

Risky grinned at the dismay of the others. "Knock-out rounds turn into a liquid sedative upon contact and seep into the bloodstream within a second. Unfortunately, we're not the only ones with this technology . . . . We know the Monster Queen has no desire to do us in. She'll simply want to keep us trapped in her kingdom until the coffee wears off. So, expect her army to use knock-out rounds and other tactics designed to subdue and capture us."

"So," said Sky, "if the Genies do give us more coffee . . . how exactly are we going to use it? It's not like we can ask the Collective to hold on while we go brew a thousand cups of coffee . . . ."

"Well," Mimic said, "that's something we're still trying to figure out. But we will."

"You better," Risky said, sneering at Mimic, "anyway . . . moving on . . . if we contact the Genies, we'll have a much easier time storming the Tangled Tower. But even if the Beacon fails, we _must_ make a push toward the Tower. If we take down the Tower, we cripple the Monster Queen's power."

"What would we need to do to destroy the Tower?" Shantae asked.

"We don't have enough intel to know for sure . . . but my intuition tells me that we should go after the sphere at the top. It seems to be the Tower's main source of power. If we destroy the sphere . . . I think the rest of the Tower will go with it."

Shantae's eyes narrowed. "We're getting everyone out of there first . . . including Rottytops."

"Ugh . . ." Risky groaned, "well, that can be your job then, twerp. But don't think I'm going to wait around for you. The moment I have the opportunity to end all this, I'm ending it."

Once the meeting concluded, Shantae started on her way to the decks above only to be stopped by Mimic.

"Hey . . . you have a second?" he asked.

"Sure."

"So . . . not that I was eavesdropping on purpose or anything . . . but I happened to overhear you telling Sky about these dreams that you have every night . . . in the Void with Rottytops."

"Oh . . . yeah. I, um . . . I was meaning to tell you about that . . . . Nothing bad has happened or anything . . . ."

Mimic looked down at his feet. "Right . . . so, you . . . you're doing okay then?"

"Yeah . . ."

After giving her a small smile and nod, Mimic walked away.

* * *

Lying in her hammock, Shantae stared up at the Lighthouse ceiling. "I don't know what my problem is!" she said. "He's trying! He's trying so hard! Why can't I just talk to him? Tell him how I feel?"

Just outside the nearby window, Rottytops sat perched on the overhang above the front door. "Because you're trying to protect him," she said.

"Protect him?"

"Yeah. If you told him about the tear . . . all the pain you feel . . . he'd start worrying about you. If you told him how upset you are with him for keeping so many secrets from you in the past, he'd feel guilty. You don't want him to worry . . . you don't want him to feel guilty. So, you don't tell him the truth . . . to protect him."

"Wow . . . it's scary that you know my mind better than I do."

"I know because you've done this before . . . you—my brothers, too—didn't tell me the truth for the same reason . . . ."

"The truth about what?"

"The girl . . . in the Village of Lost Souls . . . ."

"Oh . . . right. You know about all that now, huh?"

"You and my brothers didn't tell me about her because you wanted to protect me from something you didn't understand."

"I guess that's true . . . so, does that mean . . ._ you_ understand it? Who . . . or what . . . is she? Is she really your . . . _soul?"_

Rottytops took a moment to gather her words. "What she is . . . is a misunderstanding."

"_A misunderstanding?_ What do you mean by that?"

"She's not me. She's just not. Maybe she _looks_ like a human me, but that doesn't mean anything."

"But, Rotty . . . it's not just how she looks. She _knows_ things. Things that no one else but you could possibly know. How do you explain that?"

"I don't have to explain anything! She's _not_ me! Or part of me! Or _anything!_ Okay? So, just drop it already . . . ."

"All right . . . fine. Calm down. You were the one who brought it up in the first place . . . ."

"Right . . . you're right. I'm sorry. Let's just . . . let's just talk about something else . . . ."

* * *

_**15 days remaining . . .**_

Sitting on the edge of the crow's nest, Shantae leered at the dim light shining from the core of the Light Shard she held in her lap. She closed her eyes and sighed before turning her attention back to Sky and Risky who lined up on opposite ends of the main deck below.

"Go!" Risky shouted.

With a pistol in her left hand and a sword in her right, Sky took off across the length of the deck.

A target popped into view from behind the railing on the left side of the ship. Mid-sprint, Sky fired her pistol at the target. She kept moving and firing as more targets sprang up from on and around the main deck.

Once Sky reached Risky, she thrust her sword at her only for it to be blocked by Risky's blade. They exchanged steel. Risky kept Sky on her heels until she stumbled, giving Risky an opening. She kicked Sky to the floor. Sky gazed up to find Risky standing over her.

Sky threw down her weapons and grunted. "I almost had it!"

"No," Risky said, "no you didn't. How many targets did you hit? Do you even know?"

"All of them! Right?"

"Half . . . you only hit half."

"What? Really? But I thought—"

"And what kind of footwork was that? Have you been paying any attention to what I've taught you? Any at all?"

Sky rubbed her hands over her face before standing back up to address Risky. "All right. Let me try it again."

"No."

"What? What do you mean—"

"I said _no."_

Sky looked at her in disbelief. "So, what? That's it? You're giving up on me . . . just like that?"

Risky rubbed her chin. "Honestly, I think you'd be far better suited to be my errand girl. Yes, let's give it a shot, shall we? There's something I need that my men should be finished working on by now. Bring it to me."

"You can't be serious."

"Oh, but I am. Very serious. Now go."

Sky opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead, she simply hung her head and started off toward the stairs to the decks below.

Shantae glared down at Risky. "Hey!" she shouted. "What's your problem? She's giving everything she's got!"

Risky peered up at her through narrowed eyes. "Everything she's got isn't good enough. And, if I were you, I'd mind my own business. Last time I checked, you have your own job to do. And how's that going for you, exactly?"

Shantae shook her head and looked away. Her eyes landed on the Light Shard once again. "I told you from the start . . . I don't know what to do. I don't know what makes it light up. I thought it was the power of friendship—"

"The power of _what?"_

"—but I've hugged Sky like a thousand times. Has it lit up anymore? Nope. Not even a little! So, all I've learned is that the power of friendship is a load of _crap!"_

"Wow, you're stupid."

Shantae dropped down from the crow's nest and shoved the Light Shard onto Risky. "Sure. Fine. Guess that means I'm not capable of doing my job, either. Since you're so perfect, maybe you can get it to light up."

Risky stared at the Light Shard as Shantae began walking away. "You really lost it, haven't you?"

Shantae stopped. "Lost what?"

"The fight in you. It's all gone. I have to say . . . you've always been pathetic . . . but this? You've outdone yourself."

"I still have fight in me."

"Then prove it."

"What?"

Risky placed the Light Shard on the floor and raised her scimitar at Shantae. "Fight me."

Shantae shook her head. "I'm not going to fight you."

"Afraid you'll lose again?"

"_Again?_ You've never beaten me! Not once!"

"Yes, I have."

"When?"

"Don't tell me you've forgotten what I managed to do with that Magic Lamp . . . ."

"That doesn't count!"

"Oh, I think it does."

"You didn't even do anything! First, you had your stupid boat fight me, which I destroyed. And then you had that creepy, evil me fight for you . . . and guess what?_ I beat her, too!"_

"Yet who ended up walking away the loser?"

Risky's words sent a stinging heat across Shantae's body. She glared at Risky. "All right," she said, clenching her fists, "you want a fight? I'll give you a fight!"

Shantae charged, hurling two fireballs in Risky's direction. Risky sidestepped the first and leapt over the second. The moment Risky landed, she took a blow to the abdomen from Shantae's hair. She doubled back. With gritted teeth, she lunged forward, swinging her blade at Shantae. Shantae blocked each strike with her bracelets before shouting, "Pikeball!" Wide-eyed, Risky barely managed to put up her blade in time to guard against the pikeball's sharp spikes; yet, the force made her recoil. Before Risky could regain her stance, Shantae delivered an uppercut kick striking Risky beneath the chin. She tumbled to the ground. As Risky pushed herself onto her hands and knees, she caught a glimpse of a white light from the corner of her eye. When the light subsided, Risky found herself staring up at a humanoid spider. Shantae shot her web at Risky's feet. Seconds later, she had Risky wrapped up tight in the web from her feet to her shoulders.

Shantae transformed back. With hands on her hips, she smirked as she watched Risky struggle to break free.

Eventually, Risky let up. She glanced up at Shantae. A smile crossed her face. "Okay . . . I suppose you have a tiny bit of fight in you yet . . . . Now, get me out of this disgusting mess . . . ."

Shantae picked up the scimitar and cut Risky free.

As Risky got to her feet, she grabbed the Light Shard. She held it out for Shantae. "So . . . why don't you use that fight in you to do your job?"

Shantae eyed the Light Shard. "I want to, trust me! I've been trying . . . . It's just . . ."

"Just what? Just too hard? Just something that, for once, requires you to do more than simply whip it with your freakish hair?"

Shantae stared at Risky. "But . . . what _do_ I do?"

"Don't ask me, runt. All I know is that you won't figure out a thing by giving up."

Shantae's eyes moved from Risky to the egg-shaped crystal. She took back the Light Shard.

Sky rejoined Shantae and Risky on the main deck, awkwardly carrying a bulky crate. She put it down and glared up at Risky as she fought to catch her breath. "There. I did it. But that's it. If you're not going to train me . . . then I guess I'll just have to train on my own."

Risky rolled her eyes. Using her scimitar, she pried open the crate. With eyes set on Sky, Risky said, "Put it on."

"Huh?" Sky said before peering inside the crate. She reached in and pulled out what appeared to be the top half of a suit of armor—only built to protect the shoulders, chest, and upper back—and a pair of gauntlets. Violet-colored metal plating covered the outside of each piece of armor.

Sky examined the armor closely with a raised brow. "What in the world is this?"

Risky waited, offering no response.

"All right, I'm putting it on," Sky said, pulling the armor plating over her head and slipping her arms into the gauntlets.

"I call this the TinkerSuit," said Risky. "After observing your fighting form—if you could even call it a form—I designed what I believe will make you at least somewhat useful in battle."

Sky gaped at Risky. "Y-You . . . you made this for _me?"_

Risky ignored her comment. "You'll have time to learn the ins and outs, but I might as well run you through the important features." Risky cleared her throat. "So . . . a shield is built into the top of each gauntlet. You can use them as separate shields or cross your arms . . ."

Risky waited for Sky to catch on and cross her arms. When she did, the shields interlocked. The fused metal plates expanded, forming a much larger shield that protected most of her body. "Whoa," Sky said before pulling the pieces apart once again and watching the metal slabs fold back into two smaller shields.

"Now," Risky continued, "rigged beneath your left shield is a TinkerPistol, which can fire both knock-out rounds and bomb bullets—"

"Wait, TinkerPistol?" Sky asked.

"Yes, that's what it's called . . . . Can you shut your mouth now?"

"Okay, okay . . . relax," she said, holding up her hands. The moment she raised her arms, a black rope shot out from her left gauntlet. The end of the rope stuck to the bottom of the crow's nest upon contact. The rope then retracted, pulling her into the air. As she dangled from below the nest, she called out, "Uh . . . Risky? Help?"

"Idiot!" Risky shouted at her. "You need to—"

Before Risky could say another word, the rope unstuck from the crow's nest, and Sky fell, landing on the deck with a thud. "Ow," she groaned, glancing up at Risky who leered back.

"Well . . . at least you're now acquainted with your TinkerWhip."

"Cool . . . love it . . . ."

Risky sighed. "Great . . . moving on then . . . if you make a fist with your left hand, you'll fire a small cannonball."

"A _cannonball?_ Are you serious?" Sky said, scrambling to her feet and inspecting her left arm.

"It will pack a big punch, but it will also come with major recoil, so be smart about using it."

"Risky . . ." Sky started, looking at her in awe.

"Not done yet," she snapped, "now the right arm. You have a second TinkerWhip . . . works the same as it does for the other arm. And, if you make a fist with your right hand, you'll draw out your Electro-TinkerSword."

"This has a sword, too!?" Sky said before clenching her right fist to see the straight, electrified blade extend out.

"And that just about sums up everything you need to know for now," Risky said. "Oh, and you have a paraglider. Just tap the button at the center of your chest plate to expand or contract."

With mouth agape, Sky tapped the button to expand the paraglider from the armor plate shielding her back. "I can fly . . ."

"No . . . you can _glide._ Hence the name _'paraglider.'"_

"Wow . . ." said Shantae, "Sky, you're like a one-woman army now!"

Sky gazed at Risky with big eyes. "I-I don't know what to say, Risky. You made this all for me? Why?"

"Oh, don't act like I—I'm doing this to _help you_ or anything! Not counting the old man, who's beyond hope, you're the weakest link in our pathetic army. I designed this to try to make our weakest link a bit less weak. So, if anything, this should _embarrass_ you!"

"Okay!" Sky said with her face beaming. "This is _so_ cool! Thank you, Risky!"

Risky rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Just don't start firing cannonballs all over my ship. And make sure you wear it for training from now on. Got it?"

Sky smiled wide. "Got it!"

As Sky continued to fawn over her new suit, Shantae watched Risky leave with a raised eyebrow. "I'll never figure her out."

* * *

"Things are getting better, you know . . . ."

Shantae eyed Rottytops. "I thought we agreed not to talk about—"

"Yeah . . . I know . . . I know. I just . . . I just thought you'd want to know how everyone's doing . . . that's all."

Shantae sighed. "Okay . . . I'll bite. How is everyone doing?"

"Great! I mean . . . better . . . like I said. They're becoming less . . ._ reliant _. . . on me. They're doing things on their own more and more."

"Hmm . . . you know . . . I think there's a way to prevent them from being reliant on you _altogether!_ Do you know how? _By stopping all of this . . . ."_

"Okay, you've made your point. I won't bring it up again."

The conversation drifted into silence for a while. Eventually, Shantae spoke up once more. "You know . . . I've been thinking about that day a lot recently."

"What day?"

"The day you went missing . . . I keep thinking about what you said in that alleyway."

"I told you . . . what I said then—I went about it all the wrong way—"

"I did blame you."

"Huh?"

"For what happened with the Magic Lamp . . . you asked me if I blamed you . . . and I told you that I didn't . . . but I did. I do. Not for all of it. Just for what you did."

"I know . . . you didn't need to tell me . . . . But thanks."

"Thanks?"

"Yeah. Thanks . . . for being honest."

* * *

_**1 day remaining . . .**_

Under the moonlight, Shantae stood at the railing of Risky's ship, staring at the clouds enveloping Sequin Land in the distance. Her gaze fell to the Light Shard still nestled within Sky's messenger bag. She pulled it out and gently held it in her arms. Even though its glow remained weak, Shantae grew to appreciate its beauty, nonetheless.

Shantae heard footsteps from somewhere close by. While scanning the area, her eyes landed on Mimic strolling across the main deck while admiring the stars.

Shantae glanced back at the calming glow of the Light Shard one last time before placing it back in the bag. She took a deep breath and made her way to the main deck.

Mimic smiled at her as she approached. "Hey, kiddo. Nice night, huh?"

"Yeah . . . yeah, it is." Shantae closed her eyes. Just as she was about to speak, Mimic's words cut her off.

"I've been waiting . . . waiting for you to open up to me. To talk to me again . . . just like before that day in the Item Shop."

Shantae's stomach twisted in knots. She felt an urge to speak, to say anything, to get her uncle to feel that everything was okay. But she wouldn't. Instead, she kept silent as Mimic continued.

"But then I realized something. How can I expect you to share your thoughts . . . your feelings . . . with me if I never share mine with you? So . . . I want to . . . I want to share something with you . . . ."

Mimic took off his goggles, and their eyes met.

"I never imagined myself being capable of raising any child . . . let alone one that had magic powers. I was terrified that I'd do something _so_ wrong—that I'd mess up _so_ bad—that you'd end up getting hurt . . . or I'd prevent you from reaching your true potential . . . or a million different things. So . . . I put this—this distance between us. One that I always knew was there but kept it out of mind, I guess. And that distance . . . it didn't just start that day in the Item Shop. No . . . it's been there for a long time. It's been there for so long because keeping that distance was easier than having to face my fears and doubts to _really be there for you._ No matter how agonizing it can be. How agonizing it is to know the truth. To know that I've hurt you."

With tears running down her cheeks, Shantae finally spoke. "I—I was so hurt. I was so hurt, Uncle. And it wasn't just from the pain of having my powers torn out of me. It was because I felt this shame in myself for being so careless . . . for putting myself in that position. It was because I felt betrayed. By Rotty . . . Poe . . . Abner. And it was because _you knew. You knew_ what that Lamp was capable of. _You knew! And you didn't tell me!_ I needed you, Uncle. But you weren't there for me. And now . . . every time I find out about these secrets that you keep from me—secrets that I deserve the answers to—all those feelings . . . all those awful memories . . . come back."

Mimic looked down, fighting back tears. He nodded before lifting his head to give her a smile. "Thank you. Thank you for telling me."

"I could've told you that so long ago."

"And I could've told you how sorry I am . . . . that I would change . . . . I wish I could go back and make things right. That isn't possible . . . but I know something that is. I can tell you . . . right here . . . right now . . . that I'm so sorry, Shantae . . . and that I promise I will do whatever it takes to change . . . for you."

Shantae wrapped her arms tightly around Mimic. Through her tears, a smile spread across her face. "I love you so much, Uncle."

"I love you more than anything, kiddo. More than anything."

A warmth washed over Shantae, stirring her heart.

She closed her eyes, wishing to stay in that moment for as long as time would allow. It only ended when Mimic said, "Hey . . . Shantae. Look!"

Shantae opened her eyes. A light—a bright light—shined from within the bag at her side. She pulled out the Light Shard, blanketing the entire ship in the warmth of its powerful glow.

Shantae and Mimic returned below deck. Before Shantae entered her room, Mimic pulled her aside.

"From now on, we're going to be open with each other, right?"

"Right."

"Good," Mimic said with a smile before looking around to check if anyone was nearby. He turned back to her and whispered, "Then there's something I want to tell you."

"What?"

"So, we all agreed to spread out the amount of coffee we have so that each of us gets one cup—making twenty-five cups in total—right? Well, earlier today . . . I overheard Risky ordering the tinkerbats to lower the amount of coffee per cup."

"What does that mean?"

"It means Risky is making more than twenty-five cups . . . . She's making extras that she doesn't want us to know about."

"But why?"

"Because I think the extra coffee is Risky's 'Plan B' . . . in case destroying the sphere doesn't stop the Grey."

"I don't understand . . . ."

Mimic paused to think over his words. "Do you . . . do you remember how the Genies defeated the first Monster Queen?"

"They tricked her into drinking the cure . . . ."

"Which led to her demise . . . "

The breath was stolen from Shantae's lungs. "No . . . no . . . but—but that wouldn't even work! R-Rotty's a zombie! She's already dead!"

"The first Monster Queen was 'of the undead,' too . . . . And that didn't save her . . . ."

Shantae held a hand over her mouth. After taking a moment to breathe, she said, "We can't . . . we can't let Risky do it, Uncle! Even if our first plan doesn't work . . . there's _got_ to be another way! There's _got_ to be!"

"I'm with you. If we have to find another way . . . we'll find another way."

She closed her eyes and nodded. "Okay . . . thank you. Thank you for telling me, Uncle."

* * *

Shantae stumbled out of her hammock and fixed her gaze onto the familiar silhouette outside the Lighthouse window.

"Rotty," Shantae said, swallowing hard, "Rotty, you . . . you've got to listen to me, okay? I—I want to tell you something . . . something important. But I—I don't know how." Shantae made her way closer to the window. "Just . . . just _please _. . . Rotty. Stop all this. _Please._ If you don't . . . something _really bad_ might happen. But—but if you just stop all this right now . . . everything can go back to normal! N-Nothing bad will happen!"

When Shantae didn't receive a response, she leaned in right next to the glass to peek out. The figure who sat outside looked like Rottytops; however, she didn't have green hair or green skin. The girl turned her head to study Shantae through her red-framed glasses.

Shantae stared wide-eyed at the girl. "Y-You . . . how—"

"Don't come back," she said.

"What?"

"I thought . . . maybe you could—but it's too late now."

"Too late? What—"

"You have to go . . . get as far away as you can . . . before night comes tomorrow . . . please . . . ."

Suddenly, the girl stood up. She glimpsed Shantae one last time before jumping down from the ledge.

"Wait!" Shantae shouted. Peering out the window, Shantae searched desperately for any sign of the girl but found nothing.

Backing away from the window, Shantae switched her focus to the front door below. She dropped down from the second floor and slowly approached the door. Closing her eyes, Shantae took a deep breath. She swung the door open and proceeded outside.

A figure, facing away, sat against the nearby tree. With heart pounding, Shantae crept closer.

Who she saw wasn't the girl. Instead, she found Rottytops.

But Rottytops wasn't the same.

Her skin had turned a pale grey with black veins snaking across her entire body.

Shantae gasped. "Rotty?"

"I found it," she said, staring off into the distance. Her voice was flat and lifeless. "I found the true essence of the Void. Just like I said I would. It . . . It's a part of me now."

"Rottytops . . . what—what did you do to yourself?"

She turned to face Shantae. _"I know . . ."_

"Know—know what?"

"What you're going to try to do . . . . I don't know _how _. . . but I know _what."_

"What are you talking about—"

"You're going to try to contact the Genies."

Shantae froze.

"But you _can't,_ Shantae." Her voice grew louder. _"Don't . . . don't do it . . . . It's for your own good."_

Slowly, Shantae backed up to the door.

Before entering the Lighthouse and leaving Rottytops behind, Shantae heard her shout, _"I won't let you! I'll do whatever it takes to save you from yourself, Shantae! Whatever it takes!"_


	12. Tale 11: Dance Through the Danger

**"Dance Through the Danger"**

"This is it."

As the spiraling wall of grey clouds loomed large in the background, Risky Boots stood on the main deck of her ship, addressing Shantae, Mimic, Sky, and her tinkerbats with arms crossed.

Four massive cannons lined the railing behind her. Beside the cannons rested cannonball pods—the same ones that Risky and her tinkerbats used time and again to invade Scuttle Town.

Risky focused her attention on Shantae. "While I'd love to pay your Genie friends another visit . . . they'd probably be a bit more receptive to a goodie-two-shoes half-Genie like yourself. So, you'll be joining the old man as he gets the Genie Beacon up and running. But know this: starting the moment we touch down in Scuttle Town Square, you have fifteen minutes to activate that Beacon. Fifteen minutes. That's all the time the rest of us will spend guarding the entrance to the cavern."

"What's stopping someone from simply digging their way into the cave? Or warping in?" asked Sky.

"Come now . . . you honestly don't think I thought of all this the moment I stepped foot down that hole? There's steel embedded into every wall of that cavern, and pure Genie Crystal emits an energy that disrupts portals. So, don't you worry that pretty, little head of yours." Risky turned back to Shantae and Mimic. "Now, as I was saying . . . after those fifteen minutes are up, we're advancing on the Tower. No one will wait for you. No one will come to look for you. Understood?"

Shantae and Mimic exchanged glances before returning their sights to Risky. They nodded.

Risky eyed one of the tinkerbats in the crowd. It quickly retrieved a belt and handed it to Shantae. The belt included a holster that held a strange gun with no bullet chamber. Instead, attached beneath the barrel, was what looked like a glass coffee pot.

"That is your Coffee Blaster," said Risky, holding her own in the air. "If your Genie pals actually do something right for once and pull through, you can load that gun with coffee grounds or beans. It will fire a special coffee substance that acts much like knock-out rounds. However, unlike knock-out rounds, this substance sticks to your target and can seep past skin, scales, feathers—you name it—and into the bloodstream."

"Uh, is that safe?" asked Sky. "Injecting coffee straight into someone's bloodstream doesn't sound like the best idea."

"Normally, it would be a very, very bad idea that no one should ever do under any circumstance," said Mimic. "But . . . the substance we developed should be perfectly safe . . . theoretically speaking . . . ."

"We only had time to build three Blasters. One for myself, one for the runt, and birdie . . ." Risky said, peering at Sky, "you have the third built into your TinkerPistol."

Risky paused to study the position of the sun as it hung in the skies overhead. "Keep an eye on the time," she said. "We've got about two hours before the effect of the coffee wears off . . . . And if this _girl_ proves to be right . . . we have until nightfall to stop whatever the Monster Queen is planning . . . . Now, I suggest you get yourselves ready. We launch in five minutes."

While most of the crowd dispersed, Shantae stayed behind to spy on Risky as the pirate gathered her gear. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Risky pick up a metal canister and clip it to her belt.

"What's in there?" Shantae asked.

"It's none of your concern," Risky answered without so much as glancing Shantae's way.

"I know about the extra coffee."

Her words finally peaked Risky's curiosity. She studied Shantae before saying, "And you have a problem with that for what reason exactly? Is it not a good idea to bring extra coffee in case two hours aren't enough to finish the job? I didn't skim from the top of your cup if that's what you're so bothered about . . . only from the tinkerbats' share of the brew. It's astounding that they somehow manage to be _slightly_ more expendable than you."

"I know you're not bringing extra coffee just to buy us more time, so you can drop the act. You want to use it on Rotty. But we're not going to let that happen."

Risky sauntered over, closing the gap between them. With Shantae under her glare, Risky said, "Look here . . . our little _truce_ stands only as long as I see fit. The moment you think you can stop me from doing what needs to be done . . . then that truce is over. And I will _not_ hesitate to cut you down."

* * *

The moment of launch arrived.

With coffee in hand, everyone gathered around the cannonball pods.

Risky leapt atop one of the pods, stealing the crowd's attention once again. With a grin, she raised her cup and said, "Let the Battle for Sequin Land begin."

Risky downed her coffee. The others did the same.

* * *

The calm that claimed Scuttle Town ended when the four pods carrying Shantae, Sky, Risky, and the tinkerbat army struck land—sending dirt and dust high into the air.

Reeling from the harsh landing, Sky shook her head to regain her senses. As she examined the pod door above her, it unlocked and detached from the pod, allowing her to climb out and look around her town for the first time since the Grey took it all away.

Scuttle Town appeared deserted. The lack of hue made it feel like the world was suspended in time.

Sky noticed that they had touched down right next to the dried-up fountain that sat at the center of the Town Square. The Hatchery she was once so proud to call her own seemed foreign to her now.

Sky, however, couldn't afford to dwell on the lifeless town that surrounded her. As the others climbed out from their pods, she readied herself for whatever might come charging at them from the shadows.

Risky, wielding her trusty pistol and scimitar, ordered her tinkerbats, carrying shotgun-like firearms that Sky had never seen before, to spread out around the entire perimeter of the fountain.

Shantae and Mimic approached the fountain together. After Mimic triggered the switch to move the fountain, he opened the hatch.

She looked at Sky one last time and gave her a nod. Sky nodded back.

Shantae followed Mimic down the ladder before Risky resealed the hatch, and the fountain shifted back in place.

* * *

The silence that filled the Square wracked Sky's nerves. Each minute felt like an eternity.

Just when Sky started to wonder if the Collective planned to attack at all, she heard a rumble.

From all around them, thousands of Snakes, Beetles, Rats, and Slimes emerged—swallowing every surface in sight.

Risky shouted, _"Now!"_

The tinkerbats shot a liquid at the ground, forming a ring around their position. Within seconds, the liquid spawned tall flames that stretched ten feet high.

The flames stopped the small creatures in their tracks. Risky seized at the opportunity. _"Fire!"_ she yelled.

The tinkerbats quickly twisted their gun barrels before taking aim and opening fire. This time, their guns fired scatter-shot knock-out rounds at lightning speed. Scores of creatures fell unconscious within seconds.

Sky watched in awe as Risky and the tinkerbats dominated the would-be attackers. Her joy faded, however, when she noticed the small creatures begin to climb atop one another, forming a mound that quickly became a literal wave of enemies tall enough for dozens to spill over the wall of flames.

Sky fired off a bomb bullet in the exact spot where the creatures started to land, and just as the explosion sent most of the invaders flying, she took aim at the wave of creatures on the other side of the fire. Baring her teeth, Sky clenched her left fist and sent a small cannonball smashing into the wave, tearing apart their formation. The recoil from the blast knocked her to the ground. Before she had a chance to get up, a small group of slimes plopped onto her arms and legs, keeping her pinned.

As Sky struggled to free herself, the creatures on the other side of the fire began to crawl atop one another once again; however, this time, four massive waves of creatures rose into the air.

She struggled harder but to no avail. Then, in a flash, the slimes were reduced to puddles. Sky peered up to see Risky staring down at her with a scowl. "Slimes?" she shouted, "seriously?"

"They're . . . stronger than they look!" Sky shouted back before scrambling to her feet and rushing toward the fountain. She leapt to the top of the stone at the fountain's center. Sky clung as tight as she could to the stone with her right arm as she took aim with her left once more. Shouting at the top of her lungs, Sky fired off as many cannonballs as she could in all directions. Eventually, the stone gave way, and the kickback sent her flying off the fountain.

Sky fought to return to her feet as fast as possible. When she did, she was surprised to find the small creatures retreating. The fighting ceased.

"Very smooth, bird girl," Risky said with a smirk, "you really showed those insects who's boss . . . and with such grace to boot!"

"Oh, come on!" Sky said, stomping a foot, "can I not get just one, single 'good job, Sky' from you?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, blondie," Risky said with a mocking pout, "are you that desperate for praise that you think you'd get any from me? And for what? Taking out some of the Monster Queen's lowest-of-the-low level grunts? You better look alive, sweetheart, because we haven't even scratched the surface yet."

Sky sighed before returning her sights on their surroundings. "What do you think she'll send our way next?" she asked.

Risky, however, paid her no mind, as her focus was set in the direction of the ocean. Suddenly, the sound of stirring ocean water erupted. Sky gaped at a towering figure that emerged from the ocean taller than the buildings that separated them from the harbor.

The Giga Mermaid glared down at them with a sinister smile before diving back under the water.

"What was that about?" said Sky.

Deep in thought, Risky ignored Sky. Then as she came to a realization, her eyes flared wide. _"Quickly!" _she shouted._ "Find higher ground! Now!"_

Just as Risky finished shouting her orders, the giant tail of the Giga Mermaid rose up and crashed back down into the water, sending a tidal wave into Town Square.

The wave came upon them too quickly, extinguishing their wall of fire instantly before swallowing Risky's army and washing them away from Scuttle Town Square.

* * *

As the roar of crashing waves from above subsided, Shantae turned to Mimic. "Whatever that was . . . it didn't sound good . . . . Are we almost set?"

Mimic knelt at the base of the glowing crystal pillar, struggling to steady his hands enough to continue his work on the Genie Beacon's machinery. "Almost," he said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I just need to secure the Light Shard in place here . . . ."

Suddenly, Shantae heard a voice from up above.

"_There has to be something,"_ the voice said. _"Some clue . . . anything that can tell us where she is!"_

Shantae's face grew pale. "U-Uncle?" she whispered. "Do . . . do you hear that?"

Mimic checked the area. "Hear what?"

The voice, growing louder, spoke again. _"She wasn't with the others! This is the last place she was seen!"_

Shantae gasped as she recognized the voice. "It's her," she said to Mimic. "It's Rotty! She's here! Hurry! We've got to finish before she—"

"_Wait,"_ Rottytops said, _"I think I . . . I think I feel her."_

Shantae froze.

"Talk to me, kiddo," said Mimic.

As she opened her mouth to speak, an idea struck her. "Uncle . . . Risky said there's steel built into the walls . . . . Is that right?"

"Yeah . . . "

"How, um . . . how strong is steel, exactly?"

"Strong. Really strong. It can withstand up to 40,000 pounds of force per square inch."

"That doesn't sound _that_ strong."

"It is. It definitely is."

"Well, for our sake, I hope you're wrong."

"_She's close,"_ Rottytops said, _"check the fountain again . . . ."_

"Ah! Okay, so . . ." Shantae said—her eyes darting from Mimic to the tunnel leading to the entrance. "I'm about to do something dumb . . . but everything's going to work out fine, all right? I'll be back before you know it!"

Before Mimic could question her, Shantae took off, making it halfway to the cavern's entrance. She came to a halt when she heard the crumbling of stone above her, and soon after, the screeching of metal as the hatch door was pulled from its hinges.

Monster after monster dropped into the cavern. The collective bellow of Nagas, Bonelegs, and ScorpGals echoed throughout the cave.

But Shantae, with eyes closed, listened only to one sound.

The beat of her heart flowed into a rhythm. Her body moved along its waves.

The monsters charged; yet, Shantae's dance never faltered. A white glow grew brighter and brighter around her. Just before the monsters reached her, Shantae raised a fist into the air and shouted, _"Obliterate!"_

A force erupted from her, shattering the rock and steel of the cavern walls like glass. The tunnel collapsed.

A plume of dust left Mimic temporarily blinded. After wiping the dust from his goggles, he discovered a wall of crumbled rock standing where the tunnel to the entrance once did.

"Sh-Shantae?" Mimic called out, stumbling toward the debris.

When he heard no answer, he began frantically pulling away the rocks. "No . . . no . . . Shantae! Please! Please—"

A tiny, blue mouse interrupted Mimic, popping out from a gap in the rocks.

Shantae transformed back, causing him to yelp.

"Sorry! Didn't mean to scare you!"

A rush of emotions spread across Mimic's face until finally settling on anger. "Shantae!" he shouted, "I can't believe you—you could've gotten yourself killed! You could've caused the Genie Beacon to explode! What were you thinking?"

"Well, in my defense, I _knew_ I wouldn't damage the Genie Beacon. I was _more_ than far enough away to explode . . . _safely_ explode."

Her uncle's glare didn't waver.

"Oh, please don't be mad! I know, okay! I'm sorry . . . I told you I was going to do something dumb . . . but that's the last dumb thing I do today. _I promise_ . . . . Now, we should probably get this Beacon up and running before they dig through this mess, don't you think?"

After letting out a sigh, Mimic said, "You're going to send me to an early grave, you know that?"

Mimic started the Steam Engine and watched as it purred to life.

"Okay," he said, taking a deep breath, "this is it. We ready?"

With her stomach in knots, Shantae nodded.

Mimic hit the button atop the Steam Engine. A small electric charge shot out from the engine. Sparks surrounded the Light Shard, and before long, the Light Shard cast light through the tubes that connected its cradle to the Genie Crystal ore. Shantae's heart raced as the crystal began to glow brighter. Then she felt a small wave of energy push out from the Beacon. A brief flash of light quickly followed before the Beacon's light died down, returning to its normal glow.

Shantae looked around, waiting for something else to happen. But nothing would.

Slowly, Shantae turned to Mimic. "Uncle?" she said quietly. "What—what happened?"

Mimic didn't respond. Instead, he pushed the button on the Steam Engine again, activating the Genie Beacon for the second time.

Nothing happened.

He then tried a third time. And a fourth. But the end result never changed.

Mimic, staring at the crystal spire, struggled to gather his words. "I-I . . . I don't understand. It . . . it should work! This is the strongest signal we could _possibly_ send! If we use any more power . . . the Beacon—the pure Genie Crystal—_it'd explode!_ So what . . . what am I—" Mimic's voice suddenly cut out as he collapsed to the floor.

"Uncle!" Shantae shouted, rushing to his side.

She shook Mimic, trying to get him to wake until she heard a familiar voice.

"He's just sleeping."

Shantae looked up to find Rottytops sitting on the rubble of the collapsed tunnel.

"I had him go to sleep. That's all. You don't need to worry."

"Y-You did—_what? Why?"_

"Look, I didn't _want_ to! I just—I need to talk to you . . . _alone."_

* * *

The rushing waters turned the Scuttle Town streets into river rapids. Caught in the current, Sky struggled to orient herself. Eventually, she managed to fire her TinkerWhip and successfully latch onto a building. Sky pulled herself out of the water and climbed atop the roof.

While lying on the edge of the roof, trying to catch her breath, Sky focused on regaining her bearings. After scanning the area, she realized that the water had carried her all the way to Main Street.

The water finally began to recede. As Sky searched for any sign of Risky or her men, she glimpsed something shiny lying abandoned in the street below. She snagged it with her whip and pulled it into her grasp. It was the canister Risky was carrying. Curious, Sky opened the canister to find four vials filled with coffee.

After resealing the canister and clipping it to her belt, she got to her feet.

Then across the skies echoed a familiar _caw!_

In his Mega form, Wrench fixed his gaze on Sky. His once-colorful feathers were now as grey as all else under the Monster's Queen's control.

Sky's mouth fell open. "No . . ." she breathed.

He set off soaring in her direction.

A panic held Sky rooted to the spot. She managed to pull herself together in time to interlock her arms, merging both shields into one. The shield expanded, and she braced herself. Wrench's talons crashed down on her. Sky's feet skidded backward as she held firm against the force of his weight. Wrench soon yielded, pushing off Sky's shield.

Peeking around her cover, she saw him hovering just above her. Sky didn't sense in Wrench any intent to launch an immediate follow-up attack. So, she separated her shields and looked up at him.

Hoping to evoke something, anything, in him to prove that he was still the Wrench she loved so dearly, Sky spoke. "Wr-Wrench . . . ? Wrench, it's me, Sky . . . ." When her words failed to soften his glare, Sky began to tear up. "Wrench . . . you—you mean the world to me, Wrench._ Please . . . please _come back . . ._ please_ come back to me."

Wrench didn't waver. Instead, he landed and before Sky could react, knocked her across the roof with a single flip of a wing. He flapped just enough to gain some air and thrust his talons at her again. She rolled out of the way.

Through the sting of her tears, Sky loaded a knock-out round into her TinkerPistol and fired it at Wrench. It, however, didn't faze him.

Wrench stomped closer until he loomed over her and let out an ear-piercing screech. Then before either could make another move, the roof buckled. While Wrench took to the air in time to avoid a fall, Sky plunged to the floor inside the building.

Wrench leered down at her briefly before flying away.

Wincing, Sky sat up. After shaking off the pain, she gazed at the clouds through the hole in the roof. "I thought . . . I thought I was _finally_ strong enough . . . strong enough to save you. But I . . . I was wrong . . . ."

"That's okay, Sky. We can help you."

Sky panicked at the sound of the voice. She scrambled to her feet and aimed her pistol in the direction of the figure in the doorway.

Bolo stepped inside with his own pistol trained at Sky.

Her face grew pale at the sight of him.

"We can help you be stronger!"

"Oh, is that so?" she said with a sneer.

"Yeah, it's no problem, really. All you have to do is, like, stop or whatever and join us! I can take you to the Tower—you remember the Tower, right? It's pretty cool. Risky and the tinkerbats will be there—"

"Wait, what? What do you mean by that?"

"About Risky and them? Oh, they're on their way to the Tower as we speak!"

Sky's heart sank. "Risky . . . she's been _captured?"_

"I wouldn't say she's _'captured'_ . . . she's just . . . going on a trip! To the Tower. A trip that, uh, maybe she doesn't _'want'_ to go on right now . . . but no worries . . . she'll be thrilled about the whole thing soon enough . . . and so will you! Once that nasty stuff you drank wears off! So . . . will you come with me?"

"Uh, no . . . I don't think so."

"Look . . . I get it, Sky. You're confused . . . lost." Bolo took another step toward her.

"Stay back!" she warned.

He did as she asked and stopped. To her surprise, he lowered his pistol to his side. "We're not going to hurt you! _I'm_ not going to hurt you! I just want to help!"

"I don't need _your_ help. I need Bolo. The _real_ Bolo. And Wrench. _My_ Wrench!"

"But Sky . . . you don't know what you _really_ need . . . or what you want . . . or what to do!"

Sky lowered her arm to her side. While Bolo continued to speak, she stared at him without blinking. Her jaw clenched.

"How could you know those things? You can't! You just can't! Not on your own! You need help . . . ."

Before Bolo could open his mouth to say more, Sky began to laugh. His smile vanished as he studied her with a raised eyebrow.

"You know what?" she said. "You told me exactly what I needed to hear."

Bolo's smile returned. "I-I did? Great!"

"Yeah . . . yeah, it is great. Because now . . . I know _exactly_ what I want. And I know _exactly_ what I'm going to do. You want to know?"

"Uh, sure!"

"Whelp," Sky said as she strolled toward him. "I'm going to take out one of these vials of the cure I've got with me. And you're going to drink it. Do you know why? Because if you don't, _I'll shove that vial down your throat."_

Bolo gulped.

"Then I'm going to set Wrench free. And not a single one of you has what it takes to stop me." As Sky stood right up in Bolo's face, she sneered, "So . . . _does it still sound like I don't know what I'm doing to you?"_

"Um . . . yes?"

"_Wrong answer."_

* * *

Sky roamed the rooftops above Main Street, looking and listening for any sign of Wrench.

She didn't have to wait long.

A _caw_ rang out from a few blocks away.

Sky gave chase, leaping from building to building, until Wrench came into view.

Using her whip, she scaled the tallest building around. She held her fingers to her mouth and let out a shrill whistle that instantly grabbed Wrench's attention.

With a powerful flap of his wings, Wrench soared in her direction. Sky kept herself steady atop the building, staring at him unflinchingly as he grew closer.

Wrench opened his talons, ready to grab her. Just as he swooped down upon her, Sky leapt backward off the rooftop before firing a TinkerWhip. It stuck to Wrench's side, yanking her along with him as he ascended higher into the air. He rolled and twisted, trying to force her off, but she wouldn't let go. Sky shot her second whip at his saddle and pulled herself on.

The moment Wrench felt Sky claim a seat on his saddle, he panicked. Wrench bucked, thrashed, and spun wildly, pouring everything he had into escaping from Sky's ironclad grip.

His flying grew weaker and more erratic as his energy left him. Soon, the little strength he had left could no longer sustain his Mega form. In a puff of smoke, Wrench returned to his normal size. He and Sky plummeted back toward the ground.

Sky plucked Wrench from the air before opening her paraglider. She landed softly, cradling Wrench in her arms.

Gazing down at him with a warm smile, Sky whispered, "I've got you."

* * *

Shantae's eyes traveled from Rottytops to Mimic—still snoring away on the cavern floor—before landing back on Rottytops again. "How are you even here? The tunnel's still blocked, so how—wait . . . you're not _really_ here at all, are you?"

Rottytops shook her head.

Shantae's frayed nerves caused her whole body to shake without end. Rottytops watched her pace back and forth.

When Shantae finally stopped pacing, she faced Rottytops while pointing her finger at the Genie Beacon. "You knew about this, didn't you? I-I bet you—you _sabotaged it _before we even got here! Made sure it couldn't work!"

Rottytops tilted her head to the side and frowned at her. "None of us—not one member of the Collective—knew this even existed, Shantae. Not until we saw it from the other end of the cave just a bit ago—you know . . . before you _blew up_ the other end of the cave . . . ."

"Then how'd you know?" Shantae asked, placing her hands on her hips, "how'd you know the Beacon wasn't going to work? That's why you were—were _trying to stop me,_ wasn't it?"

Rottytops closed her eyes and bowed her head. After rubbing her hands across her face and letting out a sigh, she returned her sights on Shantae once more. "I knew that whatever you were going to do . . . however you were going to try to contact the Genies . . . it would fail . . . and I knew that because—because _I failed."_

"_You_ failed? What do you mean?"

"Once I found the pure essence of the Void, and began cultivating it, my . . ._ abilities _. . . became far more advanced than I ever thought possible. As long as I can picture a place in my head, I can . . . _go there. _Not_ actually _go there, but—you know what I mean. Anyway, when I _'go'_ somewhere, I can interact with any living thing there that I choose. So, the first place I wanted to visit was the Genie Realm."

"Why . . . why would you _want_ to visit the Genies? They're the ones who stopped the first Monster Queen."

"Well, that's the thing. I-I hoped that they'd give me a chance . . . a chance to prove that I'm not like the first Monster Queen . . . and because . . . well, I know how much they mean . . . _to you . . . ."_

Shantae was left without words for a moment. Her eyes softened their gaze a bit as she looked at Rottytops. "So," Shantae finally said, breaking the silence, "what happened next?"

"Well, I dug up whatever I could find on the Genie Realm. But, no matter how clear the picture in my head was, I couldn't get in. So, I changed my focus to the barrier . . . what divides our world from theirs. And I found it . . . . I was right there . . . . That's when I . . ."

"When you what?"

With a pained expression on her face, Rottytops continued, "That's when I learned that the barrier . . . it's _more_ than just a barrier. _It's a rift._ Their connection to our world . . . _it's gone._ They've completely separated themselves from us."

Shantae's insides turned to ash.

Shaking her head over and over, Shantae said, "No . . . no. That's not . . ." Tears now coated her eyes. "Look," she said as her voice grew louder, "you look here . . . _my mom_ . . . okay? _My mom_ . . . she _wouldn't_ let that happen! She _wouldn't_ do this! Do you understand? She—she's supposed to be _with me,_ Rotty! _Always!_ _That's_ what they said! _That's_ what they told me!"

Shantae fell to her knees, sobbing.

Speechless, Rottytops watched in horror. Her eyes started to well up with tears of her own. She approached Shantae gingerly. Rottytops instinctively reached out to comfort her, forgetting that her hands would simply phase through her.

"Sh-Shantae . . . I-I'm so sorry! This is—this is why I didn't want you to know! I didn't want you to have to feel this pain! But look—look . . . the Genies . . . they might not be here . . . _but I am, Shantae! I'm here!"_

Shantae's sobbing subsided as she listened to Rottytops with wide, puffy eyes.

"_I'm here,"_ Rottytops continued. "So, _please _. . . just—just give me a chance . . . _please!_ Being apart . . . it's _killing_ me! I-I _can't stand it!_ Please, I'll do _anything!_ I'll find a way to make things work! Okay? I'll find a way so that you can be happy, and everyone else can be happy, too! I-I will! Just please don't leave me again . . . ."

With her mind clouded, Shantae no longer knew what to do or say.

"I . . ." she muttered, "I—"

Suddenly, Shantae felt her heart jolt.

While the jolt surprised her, it didn't hurt. Instead, it gave rise to a calm that spread out from her heart, soothing her whole body and clearing the fog that consumed her mind.

And from her clear mind came an idea.

At first, Shantae resisted it. But the more she thought about it, the weaker that resistance became. For reasons unknown to her, the idea just felt right. It seemed in tune somehow with the calm that flowed from her heart.

With the idea burning bright in her mind, new life pumped through her veins.

After quickly concocting a plan, Shantae snapped out of thought to spot Rottytops studying her with knitted eyebrows.

"Hey . . . you okay?" she asked. "You spaced out for a while there . . . ."

"Uh . . . yeah!" Shantae said before catching herself. She put on a long face and spoke in a flat tone. "I-I mean . . . no. I'm definitely not . . . not okay."

"Is there something I can do?"

"Yeah, um, actually there is . . . . Could you maybe . . . I don't know . . . make everyone just . . . _go away?_ Like . . . far away from here?"

"What?"

Shantae cupped her hands over her ears. "I don't know why, but I . . . I feel like I can hear everything all of the sudden . . . everyone above ground . . . in the area . . . it's all just so _loud!_ It's splitting my head apart! I know you have the power to make them all go away . . . . _Please_ make them go away!"

Holding up her palms, Rottytops said, "Okay . . . okay. No problem. Just give me a minute."

"Him, too," Shantae said, gesturing her head toward Mimic.

A zombie plowed through the pile of rubble and grabbed him. Before the zombie carried her sleeping uncle out of the cave, Shantae sighed and said, "I'm sorry, Uncle . . . but I have to break my promise."

"Promise? What promise?" Rottytops asked her.

"Oh, it's nothing . . . don't worry about it."

A few minutes later, Rottytops said, "Okay, you're all alone now."

After looking down for a moment, Shantae lifted her head and gave Rottytops a soft smile. She extended her hand out to her side and whispered, _"Storm Puff."_

A small cloud formed from her hand. It floated up to the ceiling of the cavern and began drifting toward the Genie Beacon.

Rottytops eyed the cloud. "Did your hand just give birth to a cloud?"

As the Storm Puff continued to float lazily across the cave, Shantae said, "I'm sorry, Rotty."

Rottytops's face turned blank. "What—sorry? Sorry for—" She paused to glance once again at the cloud that had come to a stop above the Light Shard at the base of the Beacon. She looked back at her. "What are you doing?"

Shantae closed her eyes tight. "Following my heart."

A bolt of lightning shot out from the Storm Puff, tearing through the air and striking the Light Shard below. Bright light surged into the crystal spire where it blossomed into a blinding glow that filled the cave.

As the Genie Beacon exploded, everything went white.

* * *

The white faded, and Shantae found herself alone in a room with walls that looked like curtains of blue and purple light.

After examining the room, Shantae said, "Uh . . . am I dead?"

"You should be . . ." said a voice.

Shantae whirled around to see a woman with pointed ears floating in the air.

"But no," the Genie said, "thankfully, you're very much alive."


	13. Tale 12: Labyrinths

**"Labyrinths"**

Rottytops's eyes shot open. Above the Tangled Tower, she sat in her empty sphere, gasping for air.

It took her a few seconds to realize where she was. When she did, she squeezed her head between her hands and grunted through clenched teeth. "No, _no!_ Come on . . . _focus!"_

She shut her eyes tight and pictured in her mind the cave with the Genie Beacon.

When she opened her eyes again, she found herself engulfed in a thick, black smoke.

"_Shantae?"_ Rottytops shouted as she stumbled about blindly. _"Shantae!"_

No response.

Once the smoke cleared, Rottytops finally laid eyes upon her surroundings.

What she saw left her stunned.

Scuttle Town Square was nothing more than a crater in the earth. Rottytops stood at the center of it all. Yet, Shantae was nowhere to be seen.

"N-No . . . no," Rottytops said, trembling, "Sh-Shantae . . . no. _No!"_

Then Rottytops sensed something. A familiar presence. She stopped breathing as she narrowed her focus. Before long, she had no doubt whose presence she felt.

"Shantae!" she cried out in joy before pausing to gather herself back together. "She's okay! She's okay . . . but—but where _is_ she?"

As she zeroed in on Shantae's presence once again, she discovered that Shantae existed somewhere nearby yet somehow distant at the same time.

Then it dawned on her.

Rottytops's face went blank.

She bowed her head as the stone sphere reappeared around her.

"She . . . she did it . . . ."

* * *

"_I-I did it! It worked!_ I can't believe I'm in the Genie Realm . . . ! Wait—I _am_ in the Genie Realm, right?"

The Genie nodded.

Shantae squealed in delight, bouncing up and down on her toes as the Genie watched with a smirk. "So . . . if the Beacon worked, then nothing blew up . . . right?"

The Genie's smile faded.

So too did Shantae's delight. "I . . . I blew up Scuttle Town . . . didn't I?"

"Yeah . . . you blew it up pretty good."

"Like . . . _all of it?"_

"Oh, no . . . no, only part of it. So, that's good news . . . right?"

"But then how am I—how am I even _alive?"_

"Well . . . after catching your signal and identifying your location, I plucked you out of the way of that explosion and pulled you into the safety of the Genie Realm! All within a fraction of a second! Not too shabby if I do say so myself!"

"Th-That's _incredible!_ You saved my life! How could I ever repay you?"

"After everything you've done for us? You don't owe anyone a thing, sweetie . . . . Now, we have quite a bit to discuss, don't we? So, why don't you take a seat?"

"A seat? But there's no chair in—" Shantae turned around to find a sofa chair behind her. She glanced back at the Genie, beaming as she pointed at the chair. "Did you—you made that chair come out of nowhere, didn't you? That's pretty wild . . . ."

"Can I whip you up something to drink?" the Genie asked. "How about a nice cup of coffee, huh? Seems to be quite the hot commodity where you're from as of late, no?"

Just as Shantae was about to take a seat, she stopped herself. "Uh . . . you know . . . while that's really nice of you to offer . . . I really shouldn't be getting too comfortable. We're kind of tight on time . . . ."

The Genie dismissed Shantae's comment with a wave of her hand. "You don't have to worry about that."

"What?"

"Time . . . it doesn't work quite the same here as it does in your world. When you return, you'll find that not much time has passed since you left."

"Oh . . . that's pretty weird."

"Pretty weird, indeed! So, relax! Drink some coffee. Take some time to breathe. You just went through quite the ordeal."

Shantae finally let herself fall into the sofa chair. She exhaled as her body sank into the cushions. With a dreamy smile, Shantae said, "Wow, you have _no_ idea . . ._ no_ idea how much I needed this . . . . Oh, and coffee sounds really—" Shantae paused as a coffee table with a cup of joe resting on top poofed into existence in front of her.

While Shantae sipped her coffee, the Genie made another chair appear on the other side of the table.

"Do you mind if I take a seat?" the Genie asked.

"Uh, no. No, not at all."

"Great," the Genie said with a smile. "I find it . . ._ awkward _. . . if I'm the only one floating in a room. It just kind of seems a bit . . . _much,_ you know?"

"Um . . ."

The Genie exhaled as she sat down across from her. "Shantae . . . I don't think it's mere coincidence that I happened to be in the right place at the right time to receive your signal. I think it happened for a reason. I think it happened so that I could—even just in the slightest—make up for what I've done."

"What you've done? What do you mean?"

"The reason you had to go to such great lengths . . . risking your life . . . to reach us . . . it's my fault. I'm the one to blame."

"I-I don't understand. How could you be to blame?"

"Well . . . if you really want to know . . . then I should probably tell you a bit about myself. Perhaps it'd be best if I start from the beginning . . . .

Long ago, I was a Guardian Genie—just like you are today. I loved being a part of your world. The colors . . . the life . . . it was all so vibrant. Then one day, evil struck. I was outmatched . . . and soon, I found myself locked away . . . deep in a labyrinth. Ages passed. In the darkness, I became lost. Everything I knew . . . everything I cared about . . . seemed to float away . . . and so too did all those fond memories of my life as a Guardian Genie. The only memory of your world that remained was of the evil that imprisoned me.

Although I had long lost any hope of rescue, it found me nonetheless. You see, along came this girl. She was on a quest to save her home from an evil that sought to destroy it. That quest brought her to the Cackle Mound—the labyrinth in which I'd been trapped. I think you may know this girl . . . she's a half-Genie . . . long, purple hair . . . ."

"_What? Me?_ Wait . . . _no way! You're_ one of the Genies I set free? When Risky was going after all the Elemental Stones?"

The Genie nodded. "I was the one who taught you your first spider transformation dance."

"Yeah, that's right! I-I'm so sorry I didn't recognize you!"

"Our meeting was brief, and that was a while ago now. I didn't expect you to remember me. But I certainly would never forget you . . . . Do you remember? What happened at the end of that journey of yours? The reward we offered you?"

"Yeah . . . you offered me the chance to become . . . to become a full Genie."

"Right . . . but only if you were willing to live here in the Genie Realm . . . and leave your world behind for good. When you rejected our offer, I was stunned. I couldn't believe that someone as pure of heart . . . someone as good as you would choose to stay in such a cruel world . . . .

As time passed, my disgust in your world only grew. I became more and more unsettled by the idea that our realm was so closely tied to yours. I raised my concerns to the others here and there, but they would have none of them.

Then came the invasion.

The pirate . . . the one consumed by darkness . . . accomplished what none of us ever thought possible. She entered our realm and spread her evil, infecting us all with it. Not even all those years I spent trapped could compare to the experience of watching . . . _feeling_ myself lose all control to become nothing more than a drone craving to serve the darkness.

For the second time, you saved me. Set me free. Set us all free.

Everyone was shaken up by what happened. But I was more than just shaken up. _I'd changed._ My disgust for your world became a burning hatred. And I wouldn't rest until I made sure the evil of your world could never again taint our realm with its stench.

I was the first to propose a stronger barrier. A barrier that could better protect the Genie Realm—even though it would come with the cost of a weakened connection to your world. Despite my hatred, not even I wished to sever ties completely. I still knew of the good that existed there. You, of course, were always the first example that came to mind.

With emotions still riding high, it didn't take long for me to gather the support. And, just like that, I got what I fought so hard for. Using our magic, we fortified the barrier between our worlds.

It was too late by the time we realized what a terrible mistake we made. _What a terrible mistake I made._

As I'm sure you know, emotion has quite the impact on the magic we cast. The magic we used to strengthen that barrier was born from our fear and anger. These emotions warped our magic, and as a result, the barrier grew out of our control. We tried everything to reverse the effects, but all our efforts failed. To our horror, the barrier became so unstable that it collapsed upon itself, ripping a tear between our worlds.

Again, I was trapped. But this time, it was by my own hand. And I trapped the entire Genie Realm along with me.

From that point on, all we could do was watch as Sequin Land fell, and a new Monster Queen rose to reclaim the kingdom her predecessor lost oh so many years ago.

With our magic still ineffective against the divide, the only hope that we could ever be reunited with your world was if somehow someone from your side was able to emit a magical force strong enough to overcome that rift—to create a bridge of sorts that we could then use to cross back over to your world and fix our mistake once and for all.

I thought it to be impossible. No one . . . nothing in your world could possibly hold the power necessary to bridge the divide . . . . But . . . the impossible doesn't ever seem to stand a chance against you, now does it?"

"Well . . ." Shantae said, blushing, "I didn't do as much as you think. Sky and Uncle made it all possible . . . and believe it or not, that pirate you mentioned . . . things wouldn't have ever worked out without her."

"Yes . . . the beings of your world never cease to baffle me. That I can say for certain."

Shantae watched as the Genie got up. She poofed her chair out of existence and glided backward a few feet.

"Now," the Genie said, "we still have one important matter to discuss, no?"

Shantae looked down at her cup of coffee before returning her eyes on the Genie. "Can you help us save Sequin Land?"

"Yes . . . but not as much as I wish, unfortunately. The Monster Queen's power has grown strong. Stronger than the one that came before her. Our combined magic wouldn't be enough to free Sequin Land from the Grey. However . . ."

The Genie closed her eyes. She brought her palms together at chest level with her elbows pointing outward.

"What I can offer you is a dance. One that I believe you'll find quite useful."

The Genie began to shake her hips as she slowly pushing her palms upward. When her arms were fully extended above her head, the Genie separated her palms, bringing each arm down to her side—drawing a half-circle in the air with her hands.

When the Genie opened her eyes, she was met by the awestruck gaze of Shantae.

"Would you like to give it a try?"

Shantae nodded furiously.

* * *

After Shantae transformed back, she smiled wide at the Genie.

"I wish I could offer you more . . ." the Genie said, "but that's the best I can do right now."

"It'll be enough. Thank you."

The Genie spoke again with downcast eyes. "There's something else I think you should know . . . . Back when we battled the first Monster Queen . . . we tried everything we could to cripple her power, but all our efforts failed. Getting her to drink the cure was our absolute last resort—one that we, unfortunately, had no choice but to take."

Shantae's heart sank. "But . . . but the Tower—"

"It couldn't be brought down . . . not until the Monster Queen was no more."

With eyes closed, Shantae shook her head and said, "There's got to be some way I can still save Rotty. There's _got_ to be! Right?"

"I-I'm not sure . . . ."

Shantae thought for a moment. "The Monster Queen . . . the last one, I mean . . . she was _tricked_ into drinking the cure, right?"

The Genie nodded.

"So . . . what—what if Rotty drank it _willingly?_ That would change things, right? It'd . . . it'd _have_ to!"

"I can't say for sure, Shantae . . . I wish I could. But even if you are right . . . getting your friend to drink the cure willingly seems unlikely."

"I can do it," Shantae said, _"she_ can do it. I _know_ she can!"

The Genie smiled at her softly. "As I said before . . . the impossible never seems to stand a chance against you. So, if anyone could pull that off, it'd be you, Shantae. Just know that time isn't on your side. I sense that the Monster Queen has been working to create a new form of the disease. And when this new disease is unleashed, I fear the cure will no longer be effective. If that's the case, then nothing will be able to stop it."

Shantae furrowed her brow. "We'll stop it before that can happen."

"Good luck, Shantae. We all believe in you."

Just as the Genie turned away, Shantae called out, "Wait!"

The Genie faced her once more.

"I just . . . I want you to know that I understand. The reason you built the barrier to be stronger. I get it. Sure, maybe you were angry . . . but you were also doing what you thought was right . . . what you thought would protect the other Genies. So, yeah . . . I-I understand."

The Genie found herself without words momentarily. "Shantae . . . you really are something special . . . beyond words. Just as your mother says."

Shantae's eyes grew wide. "You—you know my mom?"

The Genie nodded. "Your mother fought with all she had to stop that barrier from being built . . . and she fought even harder to find a way to take it down. She never wished to be apart from your world . . . to be apart from you . . . . But you know . . ." A grin crossed the Genie's face. "I have a feeling that, even when that rift stood between you and her, she was still with you the whole time."

"What do you mean?"

"Well . . . answer me this: what exactly gave you the idea to send a bolt of lightning into that 'Genie Beacon' of yours?"

"It's kind of hard to explain. I guess I got this—"

"Feeling in your heart?"

"Y-Yeah . . . how did you know that?"

"Your mother. She really is always with you, Shantae. Always."


	14. Tale 13: Back to the Roots

**"Back to the Roots"**

Bolo paced back and forth inside the building with the collapsed roof. Since having regained his color, he fought to keep his thoughts straight as waves of memories from his time lost to the Grey swirled in his mind.

When Sky returned, she had Wrench perched on her arm. She pet Wrench's bright pink and blue feathers while he nuzzled his head against her cheek.

"How are you holding up?" she asked.

"I-I just can't wrap my head around it all," Bolo said, staring down at his empty hands, "I did so many things. Like whatever Rottytops said! I was totally cool with all of it! And I had all these thoughts that _weren't_ my thoughts, but they kind of _were_ my thoughts at the same time. And why do I have a _pistol?_ That's not my weapon! It's not my weapon, Sky!"

Sky silenced him by grabbing his shoulders. "Look," she said, "I can't imagine what you're going through right now. _But I need your help!_ I can't do this alone! Risky's captured. Shantae and Mimic are—" Sky paused and hung her head.

"That explosion earlier . . ."

"I don't know for sure, but I . . . I saw smoke coming from the Square," Sky said, avoiding Bolo's eyes, "we _have_ to believe they're okay. But we also can't wait for them or anyone else to help us. So, that means it's just the three of us now. We need to find a way in and up that Tower. And if we destroy the sphere, then hopefully the rest of the Tower will go with it . . . . So, are you with me?"

With lips pressed together and eyebrows furrowed, Bolo nodded.

"Good. Now, how can we get to the Tower without drawing too much attention?"

"Oh, that's no problem," Bolo said, digging through his pockets. He pulled out a crystal ring that glowed in a silver light.

"What is that?"

Bolo put the ring on. He made a fist and touched the ring to the nearby wall. Moving the ring along the wall, Bolo drew an infinity symbol. The wall glowed, and in a flash, a portal opened up.

Sky's mouth slackened. She gawked at the portal until Bolo tugged her through and into a long, narrow hallway.

Upon discovering the many engravings that covered the walls, Sky's muscles clenched. "Is this . . . ? Are we . . . ?"

"Yup! In the Tower!" Bolo said, taking off the ring and inspecting it, "pretty cool, right? Too bad it only opens portals that lead to this exact spot."

Sky's heart skipped a beat. She instinctively ducked into a crouching position, pulling Bolo down along with her.

"Uh, are you okay? I thought this was where we needed to be?"

"I-It is! It's just—I wasn't expecting to—to be here _all of the sudden!"_ Sky took a few deep breaths. "Okay . . . okay . . . so, we're in the Tower . . . . Where, exactly, in the Tower are we? How do we get to the top from here?"

"We're at ground level . . . just outside the Core—you know the Core? With the ramp and all the rooms?"

"Yeah, I remember."

"Well, we need to get in there . . . but there's a huge stone door we'll need to open first. Can't be broken down . . . it's made of the same magic stone stuff that the rest of the Tower is made of. But there's a button that'll open it in the Lower Control Room." Bolo pointed at the hallway to his right. "So, if I go press the button, you and Wrench can head into the Core—"

"Wait. Are you suggesting that we split up?"

"Um . . . yeah."

"No way! Bolo, look at what happened last time we split up in this Tower! There's no chance I'm letting that happen again!"

"It's the only way! To keep the door open, someone has to hold the button down. The moment you let go of the button, the door closes again. One of us _has_ to stay behind!"

Sky fret over his words for a moment before she pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "Okay . . . just please . . . don't make me regret this."

Bolo pointed to his left. "The door is down that way. Once it opens, you're going to have a lot of company. So, be ready."

Sky nodded.

"And once you make it halfway up the Tower, you're going to run into another stone barrier. There's a switch for that, too. But thankfully it's just a lever. Once you pull it down, it'll stay down."

"Where's this lever?"

"When you reach the barrier, you'll see a hallway between the Owl Room and the Mouse Room. Go through the hallway, and you'll arrive at the Infinitorium."

"The Infini-what-ium?"

"Infinitorium. It's this really big room. Like _really_ big. The entire Palace could fit inside that room. But it's usually empty, so I don't think you'll have any problems. The lever is on the wall near the entrance."

"Then what?"

"Then head back to the Core . . . you should have a straight shot to the top of the Tower from there."

Sky clamped her hands tightly together. "Okay . . . I guess it's time we get this show on the road."

Bolo pumped his fist. "Yeah! Let's go save Sequin Land or the world or whatever!"

* * *

After two quick shots from his pistol, Bolo knocked out the two Orcs guarding the control panel at the far end of the Lower Control Room. He stepped over the sleeping monsters and examined the panel. When he spotted the button, Bolo gave it a push. He held the button down for about a minute before releasing it.

With his job complete, Bolo let his muscles relax.

Then he heard a voice from behind him.

"Bolo?"

He froze. "Uh-oh."

* * *

With her heart racing, Sky kept her eyes peeled as she and Wrench waited before the stone door.

She felt her head grow a bit foggy. At first, she thought it was related to her frayed nerves, but when she glanced down, she discovered blotches of the Grey spreading on her hand. Quickly, Sky grabbed for the canister on her belt, pulling out a vial that was half-full. She used half to cure Wrench earlier and saved the other half for herself when needed. After drinking the rest of the vial, she felt the fog clear from her mind and saw the blotches of Grey on her skin disappear. She then resealed the canister with two full vials remaining.

When the door finally opened, Sky and Wrench peered inside, laying eyes upon the heart of the Tangled Tower once again.

All was just as she remembered: The walls that seemed to stretch up endlessly. The spiraling ramp. The rooms sealed off by barriers of translucent grey light. And the Collective.

Eyes from every corner of the Tower zeroed in on the open doorway.

Sky shrunk back behind cover. But even out of sight, she could feel the Collective descending upon them.

Sky and Wrench exchanged glances.

"It's now or never," she said. "Are you ready?"

Wrench nodded.

Through the doorway, Mega-Wrench soared. And immediately hundreds of monsters gave chase.

As Wrench ascended the Tower, Sky aimed her TinkerPistol at their pursuers and opened fire. Her knock-out rounds managed to stave off the monsters, helping to maintain a comfortable distance between them.

But then a rumble began to fill the Tower.

An Ammo Baron airship soared upward, rocketing past the monsters and quickly closing in on Sky and Wrench.

Bomb shots and cannonballs couldn't put a dent in it. With the ship right on their tail, Sky shook her muscles loose. She held out her right arm and made a fist, extending her sword. The blade pulsed with electricity.

Sky leapt off Wrench and fired her whip at the nose of the ship. After planting her feet on the windshield, Sky thrust her sword through the glass and into the cockpit's control panel. The ship stalled.

Using her whip once more, Sky regained her seat on Wrench's saddle as the airship dropped, taking the monsters down along with it.

When they reached the stone barrier that blocked access to the upper half of the Tangled Tower, Wrench slowed to a hover. Sky quickly searched the area.

"There!" she shouted, pointing to a tight alleyway. Without hesitation, Wrench took off.

* * *

Slowly, Bolo turned to face four monsters that stared blankly at him.

He greeted Batty, BirdFace, Dr. GhostPants, and CrabStar with a closed-lipped smile.

"Hey!" he said, "look at this! The five of us back together again! Just like old times, huh?"

Batty leered at him. "Are you . . . _in color?"_

"I, uh . . . wouldn't know! Because I don't see color . . . everyone's the same in my eyes . . . ."

"_He's been poisoned!"_ she shouted, "get him before he helps it spread!"

Bolo pulled out his pistol and fired, striking Batty with a knock-out round that sent her to the floor. Before he could open fire again, Dr. GhostPants flew through his body. Bolo dropped his pistol as a deep chill stole his breath and left him paralyzed. When the chill passed, Bolo pulled himself together. He reached for his pistol, only for it to fall through a portal that opened up in the floor.

Bolo frowned as he eyed the four monsters that remained standing. With fists clenched, he darted toward them. BirdFace summoned portal after portal to impede his path, but he weaved around each one. Ducking under the ghost that swooped at him again, Bolo rose while launching an uppercut into BirdFace's gut. With BirdFace hunched over in pain, Bolo finished him off with a headbutt.

Hearing the _snip-snap_ of claws from below, Bolo peered down to find CrabStar.

"_I'm gonna pinch ya!"_

"_Don't!"_ Bolo said, taking a step back. "Don't you do it!"

"Oh, I'm gonna! It's happening!"

"_No!"_ Bolo shouted before punting CrabStar across the room.

Bolo winced as CrabStar landed hard. "Oof . . . uh, just walk it off, champ . . . ."

Out of the corner of his eye, Bolo spotted Dr. GhostPants diving at him for a third time. He dodged her again. Then, scanning the room, he caught sight of an opened, red treasure chest.

Bolo made a run for the chest. He slid to it and began pushing the lid shut. As he did, a force from within the chest started pulling Dr. GhostPants in. By the time it closed, she was trapped inside.

Bolo sat atop the chest to keep the ghost from escaping. He looked at the other monsters lying unconscious.

"So . . . I know I just beat you all up and everything . . . but I was thinking we could all grab some pizza or something once this whole 'end of the world' thing settles down! You don't have to give me an answer now . . . I was just, you know, throwing it out there . . . ."

Suddenly, Bolo heard the footsteps of someone heading his way.

Mimic appeared. He surveyed the room before smiling at Bolo. "I see you've been busy," he said.

"Mimic? How did you get in here?"

"Oh, I had a little help . . . ."

* * *

With her wrists tied together behind her back by rope, Risky sat on one of the hundreds of stone platforms overlooking the massive space that made up the Infinitorium.

The room's only occupants were herself and the two tasked with guarding her—Twitch and Vinegar.

Risky could feel the Grey slowly taking her over. It showed in small patches on her body.

"_Not like this,"_ she thought, clenching her teeth, "I will _not_ go out like this!"

Vinegar noticed the tension in Risky's face. "Oh, what's the matter, girlfriend?" she asked, smirking, "don't be so upset! You should be thrilled! You're nearing your assimilation! It'll be the best experience you've _ever_ had. I promise!"

She patted Risky on the head, ignoring her seething glare, before returning to Twitch's side at the edge of the platform.

With both their backs facing her, Risky refocused on the rope binding her wrists. Since her arrival, she had been slowly wearing down the fibers of the rope by rubbing it against a corner that jutted out from the wall behind her.

Her eyes darted to her weapons, which rested against the wall just outside her reach.

Risky paused when she heard Twitch speak.

"Our connection to her . . ." she said, glancing at Vinegar, "the connection between all of us . . . they're growing weaker. And some of us have gone quiet altogether. Do you think it has something to do with—" Twitch gestured at Risky "—them?"

"The Queen would never let a few Unguided tear us all apart," Vinegar answered, "and besides, we nearly have them all now—"

Risky's head perked up. _"'Nearly?'"_ she thought, "who could still be out there?"

"—So," Vinegar continued, "there's no reason to worry."

Suddenly, Twitch and Vinegar turned to the passageway that led back to the Core of the Tower.

"One's coming this way," said Twitch.

"We can get a jump on her . . ." said Vinegar, "is the Wind Cannon charged?"

"Enough for one shot."

"I only need one shot. I'll grab it and meet you down there."

With her eyebrow raised, Risky watched the two soldiers leap off the platform.

Then Sky flew into view.

Risky's mouth hung ajar. She caught the gleam of the metal canister clipped onto Sky's belt.

"I-Impossible . . ." Risky muttered.

Twitch and Vinegar stood ready to greet Sky as she arrived at the entrance of the Infinitorium. Sky gasped when she glimpsed Vinegar lifting a long tube-like weapon onto her shoulder.

"Watch out!" Sky shouted to Wrench, but her warning came too late. Vinegar pulled the trigger, shooting out a small tornado that barreled toward them. The twister sent them spinning wildly until they crashed to the floor below.

Twitch and Vinegar rushed closer. Each stepped inside a circle engraved in the floor about twenty yards from the entrance. The circles glowed silver.

After shaking off the rough landing, Sky checked on Wrench. He poofed back to his normal size, trying to shake off the dizziness that rendered him unable to stand for longer than a few seconds before collapsing.

"Wrench, just rest for a moment while I—" Sky paused when she heard what sounded like two rocks scraping against one another.

From the glowing circles, mounted machine guns made of stone emerged.

Sky's breath caught in her throat as they took aim. "Stay behind me, Wrench!" Just before they opened fire, Sky interlocked her arms and planted her extended shield against the floor.

Gunfire erupted. Bullets pelted her shield relentlessly. Sky used all her strength to keep her ground.

When the gunfire finally halted, Sky, gasping for breath, briefly peeked an eye around her shield to see Twitch and Vinegar unmoved from their positions behind the mounted guns.

"Why are you still fighting?" Twitch asked.

"Yeah, girl!" Vinegar said, "you should totally join us already!"

"Not a chance!" Sky shouted back.

"You're all alone," said Twitch, "but you don't have to be!"

Sky winced upon hearing the word "alone." She closed her eyes tight.

A cackle echoed through the room. "Oh . . . she's _far_ from alone!"

A bomb bullet stuck to each of the mounted guns. Twitch and Vinegar dove away, screaming, just in time to avoid the explosion that blew the guns to pieces.

Risky landed in front of Sky.

Sky lowered her shield, beaming at her. "Y-You're okay!" she said before noticing the blotches of Grey that continued to spread across Risky's skin and hair.

"My canister . . ." Risky said, holding out her hand as she struggled to catch her breath.

Sky quickly unclipped the canister and handed it to her.

After Risky opened it, she discovered the two empty vials and shot Sky a look.

"Hey! You're lucky I made it here at all!" Sky snapped.

Risky rolled her eyes and downed one of the vials of coffee. As the effects of the Grey quickly receded, she took in a deep breath. She eyed the final vial of coffee before resealing the canister and clipping it to her belt.

Sky's smile faded, glancing from the canister to Risky. She opened her mouth to speak but stopped herself.

When Twitch and Vinegar finally stumbled back to their feet, Risky grinned at Sky and said, "Let's finish taking out the trash, shall we?"

With Twitch and Vinegar down for the count, Sky and Risky returned to the entrance.

Sky watched as Risky pulled the lever on the wall. Her vision gravitated once more to the canister on Risky's belt. "Risky . . ."

"What?"

"I think I should be the one to hold the canister . . . ."

Risky lowered her arms to her sides so her hands were on-level with her belt. "Come now . . . I know you're not as naive as the runt . . . . You know as well as I do that this Tower isn't going down unless the Monster Queen goes down with it . . . ."

Sky felt her chest cave in. Shaking her head, she said, "But we have to try, Risky. We have to try to find another way—"

"No . . . I don't have to _try_ anything! Because I _know_ what I have to do. The question is . . . are you going to follow me and do what needs to be done? Or are you going to let these pathetic 'friendships' of yours continue to lead you astray . . . continue to hold you back?"

"_Hold me back?_ Are we still talking about the same thing?"

Risky didn't respond right away. Instead, she took a few steps to her left, gazing down at her boots, before facing Sky once again. "I see it in you, you know . . ."

"See—see what?"

"Pirate . . . there's a bit of pirate in your blood . . . in your soul."

"_What? Me?"_

"You can become something far greater . . . far more powerful. But you'll never be anything if you stay hidden in that runt's shadow."

Sky didn't know what to say.

"Join my crew. Leave behind all that's holding you back. And I can show you what you're truly capable of."

Stunned, Sky stammered, "I . . . I—" but when the shock wore off, she grew silent, allowing herself time to think. Sky closed her eyes and sighed. "Risky . . . I'm sorry, but—"

A gunshot rang out.

Sky looked down at her abdomen to see the sedative from a knock-out round seep into her skin. She peered up at the pistol in Risky's hand.

When Wrench realized what had happened, he immediately took to the air, preparing to dive at Risky.

Risky fired a bullet that opened into a net, ensnaring Wrench. The net proved to be inescapable as even when Wrench transformed, the net simply expanded to match his size.

Sky sank to her knees. "Risky . . . don't hurt her . . . please . . ."

Risky's glare never wavered. "By sundown," she said, "you'll have one less _'friend'_ holding you back. You'll thank me for it one day."

Sky fell forward as she was dragged into a deep sleep.

* * *

Within moments, the quiet that filled the Infinitorium drowned under the footsteps of hundreds of Collective soldiers—all of which were either formerly of the Ammo Baron's army or of the Sultana's Royal Guard—rushing in.

Near the room's entrance, two soldiers whispered of chaos and confusion gripping the denizens of the Tangled Tower.

"I saw them!" the Ammonian trooper cried, "I swear! The Unguided . . . their disease . . . _it's spreading!"_

"Impossible!" the Royal Guard said, "you must've been seeing things! I'm telling you . . . everyone is panicking over _nothing!_ And now we're stuck in here . . . waiting for an enemy that _doesn't exist!"_

"Wow, yeah!" said another voice, "good point, fellow soldier guy . . . so, uh, anyways, does anyone know where that one blonde is? The one with the bird? Has anyone seen her by chance?"

"You mean the Unguided one?" the Royal Guard asked, "she's been secured on one of the containment platforms at the back of the room . . . . Who cares to know?"

The two soldiers turned toward the voice.

Bolo smiled and waved at them.

They shrieked at the sight of him. Everyone in the room fell silent. All eyes set on Bolo.

"H-Have you come to s-surrender?" the Ammonian trooper asked.

"Uh, no. Sorry, man."

"Then why did you come alone?"

"He didn't come alone," said Mimic, stepping to Bolo's side, "and we're here to end this . . . once and for all."

Panicked murmurs spread throughout the Collective.

Trembling, the Ammonian soldier asked, "H-How many of you are there?"

"Hmm," Bolo said, tilting his head to the side, "I don't know. Why don't we find out?"

From the shadows came the Cured, filling the room with color.

Batty, BirdFace, Dr. GhostPants, and CrabStar . . .

"_Someone's getting the pinch today, or so help me . . ." said CrabStar._

"_Why are you so pinch-crazy today?" asked Batty._

"_Is the pinch thing too much? I'm trying out new ways to sound more intimidating . . . . It's a work in progress."_

. . . Mayor Scuttlebutt . . .

"_Why am I here?"_

. . . Abner, Poe, and the rest of the Zombie Caravan . . .

"_Don't sweat it, Scuttlebum," said Abner, wrapping an arm around the Mayor's shoulders, "just stick with us zombie folk. We'll show you a good time."_

. . . the tinkerbats . . .

"_. . ."_

. . . a girl with orange pigtails and pointed ears . . .

"_This is perfect! Using my fighting skills as a tenth-degree, super-blackbelt, I'll win this battle single-handedly and become a legend that no one will ever forget again!"_

"_Uh-huh, that's cool," Bolo said, smiling at her dreamily, "my name's Bolo by the way . . . what's your name?"_

_The girl's face went blank. "Y-You don't remember me?"_

"_Uh . . . no . . ."_

_She gasped. "No fair!" she shouted before vanishing into thin air._

_Bolo looked around frantically. Hanging his head, he said, "Meet a cute girl, and she disappears. Why does that always happen to me?"_

. . . and hundreds of monsters, humans, and animals from across Sequin Land stood ready to fight.

"We have the cure," said Mimic, "it's all over."

"It's far from over!" the Collective shouted, "activate Poison Defense Armor!"

A glowing, silver circle lit up under each member of the Collective's army. Then suddenly blocks of stone rose up from the floor beneath them. The blocks shifted in place around the soldiers, encasing them in an armor.

Each soldier of the stone army stood fifteen feet tall. From their fists extended clubs that sparked with electricity.

"This might make curing them a bit more difficult . . ." said Mimic.

"Nah," Abner said, "all we gotta do is crack 'em open first! Then by the time Genie girl gets here, they'll all be nice and ready!"

"All right," said Mimic, "then I guess we're _Ret-Go!_ . . . Is that how it goes?"

"Is that how what goes?" asked Bolo.

"Shantae's little catchphrase."

"Oh, I don't know. It's stupid."

"It's not stupid! It's . . . _endearing!"_

"Yeah, if endearing means stupid, then I agree."

Mimic threw up his hands. "Oh, forget it . . . let's just start the fight . . . ."

* * *

Risky ascended the ladder and, after opening the door in the ceiling, climbed into the room at the very top of the Tangled Tower.

It was dark except for the light cast down from the center of the ceiling above. Within the light, the small stream of silver ink flowed down into the shallow pool that covered the room.

She scanned the darkness briefly before letting out a sigh. Without hesitation, Risky strolled forward until she stepped into the light. She stopped and put her hands on her hips.

"Okay," she said, "come on out already and let's get this over with."

She heard the sound of something skidding across the ink.

The Squid Baron came to a halt at the edge of the light. "Risky Boots," he said with a grin as he began to drift in a circle around Risky.

Risky only acknowledged his existence with a sideways glance.

"You know . . ." he said, "coming in as a last-second cameo would normally make me mad . . . _very mad._ I'd probably go on about the deep, complex character arc that I, the _beloved_ Squid Baron, most certainly deserve _yet have been denied_ by whatever _dingus_ is in charge of these things around here. But I'm not going to say any of that. Why? Because I'm happy, Risky. I truly am. This whole Collective thing? _The best._ And, you know, there are whispers going around, saying, _'oh, the Collective is just one big brainwashed cult, blah, blah, blah.'_ But those are just the haters, okay? Don't listen to them. I mean, take a look around! We're all so happy and would do whatever our leader asks us to do! Does that sound like a cult to you? _No!_ So . . . why don't you just join us . . . ? It's what's best for _you!_ _You_—more than _anyone!_ You want to know why?"

Squid Baron came to a stop again to the right of Risky before two metal slabs fell from the sky—one on each of his side of him—and joined together around him to give Squid Baron his metal armor.

Then another figure stepped up from behind her.

"Because . . ." said Techno Baron, seated in a robotic mech with a machine gun mounted on each side, ". . . you've always been so lost . . . so alone . . . ."

Risky never so much as turned to face Techno Baron. Instead, she pulled out her scimitar and admired the sharpness of its edge.

" . . . so very alone . . ." said a third voice.

A tank rolled up to the left of Risky. The Ammo Baron stuck his head out through the tank's hatch.

After glancing at Ammo Baron, Risky spotted something that for the first time, made her actually turn her head.

Her Captain's Hat sat atop the Ammo Baron's head.

Risky glared at him for just a moment. Ultimately, she remained silent and returned her attention to her weapons.

Directly in front of her, the Hypno Baron floated down with his face obscured by his hood. "Risky Boots . . . you've been a creature consumed by darkness for far too long," he said in a booming voice.

His words managed to get Risky to lift her eyes.

He paused to point a cloaked hand in her direction. "Let us free you. Free you from the darkness. The loneliness. The past." Hypno Baron pulled down his hood, revealing the face of the Pirate Master.

The sight caused Risky to take a small step back and her eyes to widen slightly.

Soon, the Hypno Baron's robes vanished, and the skeletal body of Risky's former Captain stepped forth. "This is what defines you," Hypno Baron said, "but it doesn't have to. Not anymore. Let us help you find your true self."

As Risky stared at Hypno Baron's Pirate Master form, an anger began to boil from deep within her. It was a twisted anger she hadn't felt since the last time she laid eyes on the skeletal abomination that her former Captain had become after returning from beyond the grave.

A grin slowly inched across her face. Laughter billowing into a heaving cackle. "Ho ho ho HO HO—HA HA HA HA!" Her eyes bulged. The anger flowing through her like lava. "Oh," she said, looking down at her body, shaking and writhing, _"you—you have no idea . . . no idea of the suffering you've just brought upon yourselves . . . ."_

* * *

Fighting erupted throughout the Infinitorium.

Mimic kept close to the entrance, studying the stone soldiers from a distance. From the inside of his jacket, he retrieved a beaker and a handful of test tubes filled with different chemicals.

Bolo ran up to him. He stared at Mimic as he began mixing together different liquids in his beaker. Bolo shook his head and said, "Mimic, I'm going to get Sky out of that prison."

Mimic's eyes returned to battlefield. He glimpsed one of the stone soldiers heading their way; however, Mimic remained calm. "Do you think there's limestone in their armor?"

"Uh, sure," answered Bolo, "did you even hear what I said?"

"Yes, and I think it's stupid," Mimic said, swirling the substances together in the beaker, "you want to go rushing through a battlefield when you don't even have a weapon—even though you've had _plenty_ of time to find a new one!"

"What do you mean I don't have a weapon? My _body_ is a weapon for your information. A _deadly_ one, too!"

"Uh-huh," Mimic said before the approaching stone soldier stole his attention.

The soldier lifted his electroclub, ready to strike.

"Hey," Mimic said to the soldier, "perfect timing! This is for you!"

Mimic tossed the beaker at him. It shattered against his armor. Within moments, the liquid fizzled, and the stone began to corrode. With his armor reduced to atoms, the soldier sat on the floor, stunned.

Mimic turned to Bolo. "It's not like there's anything I can say that'll stop you, so just go. And try not to get crushed. I don't want to have to go through the hassle of finding a new assistant."

As Bolo scrambled to reach the other end of the massive room, he beheld the chaos of the battle.

The tinkerbats swarmed a screaming stone soldier, while Abner and Poe led a horde of zombies into the fray. Using their bare fists, the zombies cracked open a soldier's armor before flinging him out of the suit. Mayor Scuttlebutt was right there in the thick of it, caught up in the zombies' fervor, tossing small rocks around with a sense of great triumph.

A troop of stone soldiers marched toward a group of unsuspecting monsters. But before they could attack, a woman wielding a massive hammer landed in front of them. The Squidsmith Lady grinned. She leapt back into the air with her hammer raised over her head. The hammer set ablaze as she brought it back down, smashing the floor in front of the troop with a force that sent a thunderous roar throughout the Tower. But the soldiers remained standing with their armor still intact. The baffled soldiers watched the Squidsmith Lady as she gave them a wink and leapt away. A moment later, each soldier's armor broke into pieces.

Deeper into the room, a squad of thirty Collective soldiers huddled together, hashing out a plan of attack. Then something nearby made a loud _plink_ sound that caught their attention. A ceramic pot rolled across the floor. It came to a halt, right-side-up, in the center of the soldier squadron.

The bewildered troopers stared at the pot.

Then the head of a snake lady popped up from inside. Tuki's tongue flicked out as she calmly scanned the company around her.

"Lady," one soldier said to her, "you're surrounded. So, get out of your . . . _pot . . . _and come with us. We won't hurt you as long as you cooperate."

She let out a long hiss before asking, "You want me to come out?"

"Yes . . . I won't ask again."

A grin spread across Tuki's face. "Assssssss you wish . . . ."

Tuki's snake body slowly began to rise out of the pot. And rise. And rise some more.

The soldiers gaped at Tuki as her body, which seemed to be without end, extended fifty feet in the air.

They never stood a chance.

In the blink of an eye, Tuki snagged all thirty soldiers in her coils at once before lifting them off the ground. She loomed over them, smiling menacingly, as she squeezed. They all screamed as the stone of their armor began to crack. After soaking in their dismay for a moment longer, she finally stopped squeezing. Tuki then swung her coils back a bit before slinging the group of soldiers across the room.

Tuki gently lowered herself back into her pot and vanished from sight.

Bolo arrived below the platform where Sky and Wrench were held. He noticed that Sky was still out cold, while Wrench's gaze was fixed on the action below.

Bolo looked around wildly until his eyes landed on the platform's control panel on the wall nearby.

Before he could take a step toward the wall, however, a voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Hey!" a stone soldier shouted, "hold it right there!"

Bolo glowered at him. "Oh, come on! Do you know how far I had to go to make it here? Like, _really_ far! So, can't you just go away and let me do my thing?"

"I don't think so . . ." he said, holding out his electroclub.

The sound of pans clanging together reverberated through the air. Bolo and the soldier turned to see a blonde woman in a chef's hat standing atop a mound of rubble. She grasped a frying pan in each hand.

With her head down, the Chef began to speak.

"_Pain_ . . . for too long I've held onto the pain of losing the only one in the world I cared about . . . . I kept it caged . . . deep down . . . where only I would feel its bite . . . . But . . . _it is caged no more . . . ."_ The Chef lifted her head to reveal fiery eyes set unflinchingly on the stone soldier. "Ready yourself! For I shall unleash that pain upon _you!_ And when you're _writhing on the floor in suffering,_ I want you to think of the one I lost. I want his name _seared to your soul! Haunting your every waking moment! Feeding into the madness that consumes your mind and tears away at your very existence!_ So, now . . . now hear his name . . . . _Hear his name and tremble! WOBBLE BELL!"_

The Chef charged, screaming at the top of her lungs. She climbed up onto his shoulders and started whacking his stone helmet with her frying pans.

"Uh . . ." the soldier said, trying but failing to reach her with his bulky arms, "can you not, please? It's really loud."

"That's right! _Suffer! Suffer!"_ she said, cackling.

With the trooper distracted, Bolo pushed the down-arrow button to lower Sky's platform. Sky finally started to wake up from her slumber. Bolo scanned over the light barrier. "How do these things work again?" he asked himself.

Before he even needed to start tinkering with the barrier, it shut off. So, too, did all the other barriers in the area.

Then everything began to shake.

From the center of the room, a colossal, 100-foot-tall stone figure rose up from the floor. Its spherical body was held up by two building-sized legs. Each of its helix-shaped arms fed into electroswords. And at the top, sat a cockpit protected by a light barrier.

A voice rang out from the colossus.

"Hey. It's, uh, Barracuda Joe. In this here giant stone thingy. I don't wanna be havin' to use these, um, big 'ol sword doohickeys. So, can y'all Unguided folk just . . . stop? Fightin' and resistin' and all? The Queen prolly ain't gonna like none of that. So, yeah . . . just give on up. Talkin' to the Unguided folk here . . . not us Collective. Got it? Okay . . . that's all Barracuda Joe's gotta say right now."

Sky gazed up at the behemoth with droopy eyes. "Huh," she said, "I can't tell if this is a weird dream or a goofy nightmare . . . ."

* * *

The Barons looked at Risky with caution as she continued to laugh maniacally.

When her laughing finally ceased, Risky licked her lips and formed a wide, open-mouthed grin. Then in a flash, she leapt high into the air. However, to the Barons' confusion, she never landed.

The Barons searched frantically for her only to hear her cackles echo from everywhere around them.

Suddenly, the loud screech of tearing metal filled the room. Squid Baron's armor split apart and fell to the ground in pieces. Before he could react, Squid Baron was yanked backward out of the light and into the shadows.

Panicking, Ammo Baron and Techno Baron opened fire with everything they had in every direction.

As Ammo Baron shouted through his gunfire, he only just noticed the bomb bullets that littered his tank before they exploded. The blasts knocked him skyward while laying waste to his tank.

The explosions caught Techno Baron off guard long enough for Risky to fire her grapple gun. Her grapple hook snagged him by his snout and ripped him out from his mech.

Risky cherished Techno Baron's struggle against the hook that kept his mouth shut. She then fired the grapple gun again, sending Techno Baron flying upward. The hook finally released its hold as he flailed in the air. While he was still airborne, Risky aimed her pistol and fired a bomb shot that stuck to Techno Baron's helmet. The explosion blasted him into the ceiling before he came crashing down.

With the Captain's Hat resting on his head askew, Ammo Baron pushed himself back onto his knees. He lifted his head just as Risky smashed him in the face with the hilt of her scimitar. His teeth shattered into pieces that littered the silver ink below.

Risky picked up her hat and wiped off the ink. She placed the Captain's Hat upon her head once again.

Still in his Pirate Master guise, Hypno Baron shuddered under Risky's glare.

"Did you really think this _'mind game' _of yours would work?" she asked. "Did you really think that the sight of him would leave me trembling? Shaking in my boots? Did you honestly think that of me when I'm the one—" Risky said, pointing to her outfit "—who's _wearing what's left of him?"_

He backed away from her, but she simply stepped closer—never letting him wander too far from her reach.

"Though I really should thank you," Risky said with a grin. "You've given me a third opportunity to see that glorious look of defeat on his face."

"R-Risky . . . please . . ."

Like lightning, Risky's blade sliced through his sword arm, splintering his bones apart.

Screaming, Hypno Baron fell to his knees, holding what he had left of his right arm.

He stared up at her in horror as she aimed her pistol at him.

Risky fired a bomb bullet that stuck to his sternum. She basked in the last of Hypno Baron's screams before he blew apart. His bones scattered throughout the room.

By the time Risky returned to the light, the ceiling began to open. Her eyes narrowed onto the sphere floating in the sky above the Tangled Tower.

* * *

Bolo pulled Sky, who was still half-asleep, and Wrench back to the entrance while everyone else in the Infinitorium gaped at Barracuda Joe's stone colossus.

Then suddenly, a soothing, flowery aroma flowed into the room, capturing the attention of all.

Small plant roots and colorful flowers peeked up from every crack and crevice in the walls, ceiling, and floor. In moments, the Infinitorium became a wild forest.

Through the foliage stepped a figure with long, emerald green hair and pale green skin. Her outfit made of leaves, flowers, and vines. With each footstep, more grass and more flowers sprouted beneath her. Her glowing caramel eyes swept across the room before settling on Sky.

Sky squinted back at her. _"Shantae?"_

Shantae winked at her before raising both hands. A tree sprouted from beneath her and lifted her up high. Atop the tree, she stood on level with Barracuda Joe in his cockpit.

She pulled out her Coffee Blaster and sprayed coffee into the air, watching as it rained down on the Collective soldiers below. Before long, dozens upon dozens of the Collective were cured.

"Wh-What'd ya just do?" Joe grumbled, "that ain't right! Now, Barracuda Joe's gonna have to teach ya a lesson!"

He reeled back and swung his sword down at Shantae's tree. But a thick tangle of roots shot up from the floor to block his attack.

Shantae brought up her fists, assuming a boxer's stance. Two more tangles of roots rose to each of her sides. She threw out a jab with her right fist. The roots to her right shot forward, slamming into the spherical body of the colossus. Then came a left hook, another jab, an uppercut. Shantae's root fists struck with devastating force, leaving behind large craters in the stone behemoth.

Shantae dropped her root fists. Bringing her hands together with fingers interlocked, she lifted her arms into the air again. Soon, the stone colossus was swarmed by thick vines. They invaded every crack in the colossus's facade. Barracuda Joe screamed as the vines crept into his cockpit.

Shantae split her hands apart.

The vines pulled, and the stone colossus crumbled, leaving behind nothing more than a pile of rocks.

After Shantae finished dowsing the rest of the Collective in coffee, she descended from her treetop to meet up with Mimic, Bolo, and Sky.

"Phew . . . that one took a lot out of me!" Shantae said, glancing at the remains of the stone colossus. "Thanks for the help, guys," she said, smiling at Mimic and Bolo, "I would've never been able to make it this far on my own."

"Y-You . . . you're a plant lady . . . ." Sky muttered.

"Not just _any_ plant lady . . ." Shantae answered with a smirk. She lifted an open palm before closing it into a fist. When she opened her hand again, a small mound of coffee beans rested on her palm. "I'm a _coffee_ plant lady! Which means . . . _unlimited coffee beans!_ And I can, like, call upon all plant life to beat people up, too . . . which is cool. But check _this_ out!"

Shantae transformed her right hand into what looked like a pitcher made of leaves. Then, from her left hand, she created a small leaf cup. She tilted the pitcher, pouring fresh coffee into the cup.

Beaming, Shantae held out the cup for Sky. With her mind in a haze, it took Sky a moment to take the cup. She blinked down the coffee before looking back at Shantae. Sky opened her mouth as if she had something to say, but she simply shook her head and proceeded to drink.

After a few sips of coffee, Sky started to regain her senses. That's when her eyes shot open, and she nearly spat out a mouthful of coffee.

"What's wrong?" Shantae asked.

"Risky!" she shouted. "She has the extra coffee! Sh-She's going after Rottytops!"

Shantae gasped as she transformed back. "Where is she now?"

"I-I don't know! I don't know how long I've been out! But she made it past the stone barrier! If she's not at the top yet, she will be soon! We have to go now if we want to have any chance of stopping her!"

Sky glanced at Wrench. "Think you're good enough to fly?"

Wrench nodded.

When she turned back to Shantae, she caught her staring off.

"Shantae?"

She didn't respond. Instead, she began looking around the room until her eyes landed on Poe and Abner.

* * *

As the stone sphere lowered from the sky, the winding staircase rose from the silver ink.

Risky unclipped the metal canister from her belt, clenching it in one hand while gripping her pistol in the other. Slowly, she ascended the stairs.

When she reached the last stair, the sphere stopped its descent. Before Risky needed to ponder how to open the sphere, it started unfolding on its own.

As the slabs of stone rotated and slid, Risky peered inside.

And found it empty.

Risky stood stunned as the sphere finished unfolding—forming a flat platform.

"No . . ." Risky muttered, her body beginning to shake with fury, _"No!"_

She threw the metal canister across the room and yelled. _"And you call yourself a Queen? Coward! I will find you! Mark my words! I will find you and—"_

Suddenly, Risky felt something emanating from nearby. Something powerful.

Her fury evaporated as she became transfixed on the platform. Gradually, from the pores in the stone, a black ink bubbled to the surface.

* * *

"Are you sure?"

Shantae's eyes traveled from Mimic to Bolo to Sky. "Pretty sure," she said.

"Then go," said Mimic. "We've got things covered here . . . we'll make sure everyone gets out safely."

"Risky . . . don't let her come looking for me."

They nodded.

Shantae handed Mimic a sack full of coffee beans before holding out her Coffee Blaster for Bolo.

"You're giving this to me?" Bolo asked.

"I won't need it."

Then Shantae pulled out a small crystal and tossed it to Sky.

"Is this a Genie Crystal?" Sky asked.

"Got me. Before I left the Genie Realm, the Genie handed it to me and said to give it to Risky."

"To _Risky?_ The Genies are giving Risky Boots . . . _a gift?"_

Shantae shrugged. "I know it's weird, but that's all I know. She wouldn't tell me anything else."

"There's no way Risky is going to take this! She'll think it's some sort of trap!"

"Well . . . maybe it'd be best not to tell her who it's from right away."

Looking at them all one last time, Shantae smiled and said, "I'll see you again when all this is finally over."

They returned the smile and nodded.

* * *

At the entrance of the Infinitorium, Poe and Abner observed the mounds of crumbled stone that littered the room. With the distraction of the battle having passed, Abner was once again left with his thoughts.

"You told me . . ." he said.

Poe tilted his head to the side. "Told you what?"

"You saw Rotters. And I told you it was nothing. That it was all in your head."

"Don't . . . Abner, don't do this to yourself."

"And even before all that! Before she went missing! I _knew,_ Poe! I just _knew_ something wasn't right! _And I didn't do nothing!_ What—what kind of brother _doesn't do nothing?"_

Before Poe could respond, he paused as he sensed someone approaching from behind them.

Shantae didn't say a word at first. Instead, she simply walked up to stand with the two brothers. The three of them gazed out at the remnants of the battle in silence until Shantae finally spoke.

"I need to take a walk," she said, "care to join me?"


	15. Tale 14: Run, Run, Rottytops

**"Run, Run, Rottytops"**

Dusk settled in over Scuttle Town.

Outside the reach of the crater that was once the Town Square, Shantae's Lighthouse remained standing. It, however, had seen better days. Debris from the explosion tore a hole in the roof and left chips and cracks in the facade.

Atop the overhang above the Lighthouse door, leaning against the cracked glass window, Rottytops sat waiting for the sun to drop below the horizon. As she waited, she observed the ocean spilling into the crater from the nearby harbor, forming a small, muddied lake at its center.

Yet, the view failed to keep her mind from wandering.

Of course, she was aware of what happened at the Tangled Tower. What continued to happen across all of Sequin Land. Her people had been stripped from her. And while she knew it didn't really matter in the end, the loss saddened her, nonetheless. At that moment, they all could've been celebrating the coming of a new age. But now, when the time would come, they'd only feel fear. She found some comfort in the fact that their fear wouldn't last long.

The Perfect Unity would take them in quickly and eternally.

Rottytops ran her fingers over the blackened veins that showed from under her pale grey skin. Her sunken eyes no longer glowed silver, having faded to a shade that made her pupils almost blend in with the whites of her eyes.

Suddenly, Rottytops's head perked up. She sensed someone.

It was her. And she wasn't alone.

Rottytops watched, expressionless, as Shantae arrived at the Lighthouse with Abner and Poe in toe.

No one said a word.

Rottytops's two brothers lingered a safe distance away. They cast glances at her but none for longer than a second before they looked away.

Meanwhile, Shantae didn't look her way at all. Instead, she strolled to the water's edge just off the path that led to the Lighthouse door. Shantae's eyes scanned over the beach intently. Eventually, she spotted something and immediately began digging it out. Squinting, Rottytops saw that Shantae had unearthed a mug from the sand. A coffee mug.

Still paying Rottytops no mind, Shantae brought the mug into her Lighthouse. Rottytops heard her shuffle about inside, running the faucet briefly, before returning outside.

Finally, Shantae laid eyes on Rottytops. Cupped in her hands, she held the mug—now clean and filled with fresh coffee.

"May I join you?" Shantae asked.

Rottytops scooted over a bit to make room.

Shantae climbed up and took a seat on the ledge beside her. She placed the mug of coffee between them.

With Shantae seated, Abner and Poe finally inched closer; they, however, remained standing on the ground just in front of the door.

"Why did you come here?" Rottytops asked.

"Uh, well," Abner said, rubbing the back of his neck, "we were thinking that maybe we could just . . . you know . . . talk things over . . . ."

"Right . . . talk things over," Rottytops said, staring out at the distance, "or, in other words, you've come here to change my mind . . . isn't that right?"

"No," Poe answered, "we don't want to change your mind, Rottytops. We want _you_ to change _your own_ mind."

"Uh-huh . . . and does this plan of yours have me drinking that—" she gestured to the coffee. "You do know what that will do to me, don't you?"

"Well," Shantae said, fidgeting her hands, "I think that maybe if you choose to drink it on your own . . . then maybe it won't—"

"It will, Shantae," Rottytops said, "what makes you think whether or not I drink that poison willingly will make any difference at all? Poison is poison."

Shantae, Abner, and Poe exchanged glances.

Bowing her head, Shantae said, "Okay . . . then forget about the coffee. We can figure things out! We just want you back! Can't you please stop—"

"You don't understand . . ." said Rottytops, "you can't stop it now."

"What exactly is _it?"_ Shantae asked.

"The Perfect Unity. Everyone and everything coming together as one. One being. Just as we were always meant to be. And no poison—" Rottytops leered at the coffee "—nothing will be able to divide us ever again. It's going to be wonderful. If you'd just let me in, Shantae . . . and Poe, Abner . . . if you'd let me _back_ in . . . I could show you why! Then you won't see it as some monster coming to take you away."

"What happens when the sun goes down?" Poe asked.

Rottytops pointed to the Tangled Tower. "From the top of the Tower, a power will be set free. And once it fuses with me . . . the Perfect Unity will be released, and Sequin Land will become one."

"There's got to be some way we can still stop it," said Shantae.

"You're right," Rottytops answered, "you _can_ still stop it. Right here, right now. By forcing me to drink that poison."

"We ain't doing that," Abner said.

"Maybe _we_ can't stop it," Poe said, "but _you_ still can . . . can't you?"

Rottytops hesitated. "You shouldn't have come looking for me," she said, her eyes avoiding the stares of the others, "whatever you thought you were going to find in me . . . it isn't there. I know what I'm doing is right. There's nothing you can say that will make me think otherwise."

Abner and Poe hung their heads. They all fell silent.

Except for Shantae.

She took in a deep breath and said, "All right, then." Shantae hopped down from her seat and began stretching her legs.

"Sounds like your mind is all made up," Shantae said to Rottytops as she continued to stretch, "and our minds are all made up, too. So . . . I guess there's only one way we can settle this . . . ."

"And how's that?" Rottytops said with an eyebrow raised.

Shantae stopped stretching to face her.

"A race."

Rottytops, Abner, and Poe stared at her blankly.

"Shantae," Abner said, blinking, "I-I don't think I heard you right. It sounded like you said, 'a race,' but—"

"That is what I said . . . a race."

"You want to _race_ me?" Rottytops asked, "you _can't_ be serious."

"I am."

"And what for exactly?"

"Like I said . . . to settle things. If I win, then you have to stop the Perfect Unity from happening. If you win . . . then I'll join you. Just like you wanted me to. And I'll do it willingly."

Fidgeting his hands, Poe said, "I, um . . . Shantae, maybe we should, uh, talk about this for a moment . . . ."

"Yeah," Abner said, his eyes burning a hole through Shantae, "we should _definitely_ talk about this."

But neither Shantae nor Rottytops paid the zombie brothers any mind. They focused only on one another. All else seemed to fade away.

"So," Rottytops said, "let me get this straight . . . . You're willing to bet the fate of all of Sequin Land . . . _on a foot race with me?"_

"Yeah . . ."

"You do know how absolutely stupid that is, don't you?"

"Yeah . . ."

"What makes you think I'd even hold up my end of the deal if you won?"

"Belief . . . I believe in you."

Rottytops fell silent. She studied Shantae through narrowed eyes.

"What do you say, Rottytops? Wanna race?"

Rottytops let her question hang in the air for a moment.

Then a grin spread across her face.

"Okay . . . you're on."

* * *

Sky grimaced as she picked up a hip bone covered in silver ink. She carried it over to the open hatch door, where Techno Baron had begun to descend the ladder leading down from the top of the Tangled Tower.

"You forgot one," she said, shoving the hip onto Techno Baron, "he's probably going to need that."

Off-balance, he lost his grip on the ladder and fell to the floor below.

"Uh, sorry," Sky muttered before quickly closing the hatch door.

With Wrench perched on her shoulder, Sky rejoined Mimic and Bolo as they approached the last of the room's occupants.

Risky Boots sat on the stairs that led up to the stone platform. She let one leg dangle over the side as she casually watched the black ink bubble on the platform. Noticing the others gathering beneath her, Risky finally turned to glare at them.

"So . . ." she said, dropping from the stairs and landing in the ink with a splash, "the runt came through in the end, did she? And let me guess . . . she knows where the Monster Queen ran off to, as well . . . ."

Sky, Bolo, and Mimic shifted, offering Risky no response.

"What made you give up chasing Rottytops?" Sky asked, pivoting the conversation.

"_Give up? Me?_ Don't be absurd. The Monster Queen can run and hide like a coward all she wants. Once I take care of the most immediate threat, then it's only a matter of time before I find her."

"What threat are you talking about?"

"We know the Monster Queen is planning to release something come nightfall, correct? Well . . . that '_something'_ is going to come from _there."_ Risky pointed at the platform. "I can feel its power. It's strong. And it's not the Grey. It's not like anything I've felt before. It's similar to Dark Magic but not quite the same."

"So . . . what do we do? Just sit here and wait?" Bolo asked.

"Yes. And if you've got a problem with that, then you can take a hike, bozo."

"It's _Bolo._ With an _L._ People get the two mixed up all the time."

Risky rolled her eyes. She glanced at Sky, catching her fiddling with a small crystal in her hand. "What is that?" she asked.

Sky's eyes darted from Risky to the crystal before landing back on Risky again. "Uh . . . here, see for yourself!" she said, tossing the crystal in the air toward Risky.

Risky instinctively grabbed it.

"It's actually something for you," Sky said.

Before Risky could question her further, the crystal began to shine from within her clenched fist. The light expanded and took shape as something solid. When the light faded, Risky was holding a weapon made of crystal.

"Is that . . . a Coffee Blaster?" Sky asked.

"You're the one who gave it to me! Why are you asking me?"

"Uh . . . well, actually, it's not from me. It's from the Genies."

"_The Genies?"_ Risky said with a disgusted look on her face, "I don't want anything from those—" Risky suddenly paused, her eyes narrowed onto the Crystal Coffee Blaster in her hand. She gave it a few shakes. Then, scowling, Risky started shaking it around violently.

"What are you doing?" Mimic asked, "what's the problem?"

Risky stopped and glared at Sky. _"I can't let it go . . . ."_

"Like . . . emotionally?" Bolo asked.

"That's not—" Risky grunted "—it's stuck! In my hand! I _physically_ cannot let go of it, _you moron!"_

"Oh—then wait!" Bolo said, his eyes wide, "did the Genies just, like, _pull a prank?_ Because I didn't even know they had, like, _personalities_ or anything. That's super—"

Risky shot daggers at him.

"—_immature!_ I mean, _grow up,_ am I right?"

"The Genies don't play pranks," Mimic said, taking a closer look at the Blaster. "There must be instructions. Perhaps you have to say some magic words, like 'open sesame,' and then it will allow you to release it."

"Instructions?" Risky said with a sneer, "really, old man? Does it look like it came with a book?"

Sky pointed to some inscription on its barrel. "What's that say?"

Risky peered at the inscription before reading it aloud. _"Proof that even in the clutches of Darkness, the Light still shines."_

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sky asked, blinking.

"I couldn't care less what that fortune cookie garbage means!" Risky shouted. With nostrils flared, she paced around briefly. "They're going to pay for this!" she said, "dearly!"

Risky tossed her old Coffee Blaster at Mimic.

"Since I'm stuck with one already, maybe that can make you useful for a change," she said.

"Gee, thanks," he said.

* * *

Shantae directed the attention of the others to the palm tree nearest to the Lighthouse's front door.

"Okay," she said, "so we'll start from this tree and race around Town Square—"

"You mean the giant hole in the ground that _was_ Town Square?" Rottytops said with a smirk.

"Uh . . . yeah. Anyway, the first one to make it back here and touch the tree wins."

"Fine by me."

"Abner, can you give us a countdown?" Shantae asked before turning toward him.

Abner, however, didn't hear Shantae's request over his own ramblings. "This ain't real . . . right?" he said to himself, pacing around in circles, "it's just—just _all in my head! Ain't no way_ something this _stupid_ could _really_ be happening! _Ain't no way!"_

"Uh, you know, on second thought, Poe . . . why don't you do the countdown?"

"O-Okay . . ."

Shantae and Rottytops each placed a hand on the trunk of the tree.

"_On your marks . . ."_

Shantae and Rottytops took stance.

"_Get set . . ."_

They locked eyes.

"_Go!"_

Up the path, across the wooden bridge, and along the edge of the crater they ran.

Rottytops fought to break away, using all her strength to try to pull ahead—only to find Shantae still right at her side.

"I've got to say," Shantae said between breaths, "I'm surprised you haven't tried to cheat yet . . . like every other time we've raced."

"Every other time? That's a bit of an exaggeration."

"It's really not."

"I don't need to cheat to beat you . . . if that's what you think."

"Then why have you?"

"Because it's fun."

"Fun? Every time you've cheated, I nearly end up dead!"

"That's not true!"

"Oh, really? Remember the pit full of poisonous snakes?"

"Those were poisonous?"

"Or the giant rolling boulder?"

"You can't blame me for that! That was nature!"

"I saw you push it! With my own eyes!"

"You know what? I remember now. I was trying to push it _out of_ your way . . . that's what it was! So, actually, you should be thanking me!"

"You're the worst."

They sprinted through the debris, hurdling over chunks of stone wall and sliding under collapsed roofs, as they worked their way around the crater.

They ran in total harmony, matching each other stride-for-stride, breath-for-breath. Rottytops no longer thought about breaking away. Without her even realizing it, the purpose behind each move she made had changed. Now, she ran for the harmony—to keep that harmony intact.

"I still can't believe you blew up Scuttle Town . . . and you manipulated me to do it, too . . . . Not going to lie . . . I'm kinda proud of you."

"First of all, I didn't blow up Scuttle Town! . . . Only part of it . . . . Second of all . . . I can fix this little hole—no problem! I'll just do the wish thing again . . . change everything back to 'in need of repair' status."

"You always bring up the wish thing! Always! But you've only done it once! You forgot how to do it—just admit it!"

"I-I have not forgotten! I wouldn't forget something like that!"

"Oh really? Then how come you had to relearn your Transformation Dances, like, three times?"

"It was not three times . . . it was twice . . ."

"_Ha!_ Shows what a half-Genie you are!"

"Whatever! I won't forget a dance _ever_ again! _Ever!_ Just you see!"

The wind in her hair. The rush that came with each hurdle, each slide, each stride. The smile on Shantae's face that brought a smile to her own. Rottytops experienced it all as if she never had before. And the feeling inside her was one she couldn't quite put into words.

Rottytops leapt over the skull of the fossil that once hung from the Item Shop's ceiling. And Shantae slid through a hole in a collapsed wall.

"You know . . . what I just realized?" said Shantae.

"What?"

"Up until now . . . this whole time . . . every time we race . . . we always jump over these things . . . slide under those things . . . not once have I even thought to just _run around_ any of it."

Shantae ran a few more steps before realizing that Rottytops was no longer there beside her. She stopped and turned around to find Rottytops hunched over, laughing uncontrollably.

"Why are you—" Shantae said, interrupting herself with her own laughter, "why are you laughing so hard?"

"It's just . . ." Rottytops said, barely managing to speak, "it's just . . . I've never—_never even thought about it,_ either! _How . . . ? How_ have we _never_ thought about it before?"

"I don't know!" Shantae laughed, using Rottytops's shoulders to keep herself upright.

"What's _wrong_ with us?"

Their laughter echoed throughout the empty town.

Eventually, Shantae regained her composure. Still resting her hands on Rottytops's shoulders, Shantae, now smiling softly, watched her friend who remained lost in laughter. Their eyes connected. Shantae's calm gaze struck Rottytops, jarring her back to reality. In an instant, her laughter evaporated. And in its place came a surge of emotion that flooded her mind.

"What have I done?" Rottytops whispered, placing a hand over her mouth, "Shantae . . . _what have I done?"_ Rottytops dropped to her knees, her body shaking violently. Shantae joined her on the ground and hugged her tight. In Shantae's arms, Rottytops finally gave in, letting her tears flow.

* * *

Risky felt a blast of power emanate from the stone platform.

Quickly, she alerted the others. "Look alive!" she shouted, before refocusing on the platform.

It started to move.

As the platform slowly lowered into the silver ink, Risky, Sky, Bolo, and Mimic held their Blasters at the ready.

Once it had completely submerged, the pool of silver ink turned black.

Then a voice echoed throughout the room.

"I didn't expect to have company! What a pleasant surprise!"

"Reveal yourself!" Risky ordered.

"Of course, my child . . . as you wish!"

From the center of the room, the black ink began to rise and take shape. Soon, a figure that resembled a faceless humanoid creature in a hooded cloak towered before them. Its body never solidified, remaining as nothing more than the dripping black ink from which it came.

The ink creature left its position at the room's center and proceeded to wander about. "I knew I made the right choice . . ." it said, "the _perfect_ choice . . . the Monster Queen that you . . . my children . . . deserved _all along_ . . . and now . . . now _she's chosen me!_ Can you believe it? After my purpose was served . . . she gifted me another!"

"Who are you?" Sky asked.

"Oh, my child . . . I've gone by many names during my time amongst the living . . . and _even more_ during my time amongst the _unliving_ . . . they once called me by what you call _her_ . . . but I could never claim that title again . . . _no_ . . . I may have come before her . . . but she has helped me see the _truth_ . . . that _she_ is the _true_ Monster Queen . . . and I am . . . and always was . . . _nothing—a Phantom Queen . . . ."_

The Phantom Queen continued to glide across the pool of ink.

"Why are you here?" Mimic asked.

"To deliver to your true Queen . . . here in this realm . . . what I've harvested for her . . . the purest essence of the Void . . . and help her bring everyone . . . everything . . . together as one . . . in Perfect Unity!"

"We aren't going to let that happen!" Bolo shouted.

The Phantom Queen stopped before slowly drifting back to the center of the room. "Oh, my poor child . . . you cannot stop . . . what is your destiny . . . _but_ . . . if you wish to try . . . by all means . . . ."

Risky opened fired.

While staying rooted in place, the Phantom Queen avoided the blast by changing her shape so that the coffee simply passed straight through her.

Risky grunted before firing again. The others joined in, too.

But the Phantom Queen foresaw each and every shot, contorting herself in time to dodge their attacks.

Then she sent four streams of ink out from her body, knocking them all to the ground at once.

Before they could get back to their feet, the Phantom Queen raised her arms and said, "Fret not, my poor children . . . your time suffering in loneliness has met its end . . . ."

Risky saw a portal open above the Phantom Queen's outstretched arms.

Then everything went black.

* * *

Rottytops gazed up at Shantae through vision blurred by tears. "I-I don't—I don't know what to do, Shantae! I-I just don't know!"

"Rotty . . . it's okay," Shantae said, pressing her forehead against Rottytops's. "Like I told you . . . we'll figure it out. We'll figure it out together, okay?"

"The coffee . . . do you—do you _really_ think it'll work? If _I_ _choose_ to drink it?"

"I don't know. But if you can stop things now . . . then we can wait on the coffee. We can always figure out another—"

When Shantae stopped mid-sentence, Rottytops pulled her head back to check on her.

She froze as she witnessed Shantae's eyes turn black and her body go limp.

"No . . ." Rottytops said, catching Shantae before she slunk to the ground, _"Shantae!"_

Holding Shantae in her arms, Rottytops looked up at the sky. The sun had dipped below the horizon.

From above the Tangled Tower, a portal appeared.

Rottytops quickly closed her eyes and focused her mind on the Phantom Queen. She begged her to stop, but as she feared, the Phantom Queen was too far gone to listen.

The ground started to shake as the portal opened. A black cloud burst out, taking the shape of a gargantuan snake with a tail that had no end. It tore through the sky, immediately steering in the direction of its target: The Monster Queen.

Rottytops knew there was only one way to stop it now. She looked to the Lighthouse on the other side of the crater.

Drawing in a deep breath, she turned to Shantae who, barely cognizant, stared back through her gaping, black eyes. "Don't worry," Rottytops said, gathering Shantae in her arms as she returned to her feet, "I won't leave you! No matter what! I promise!"

Then, with the world crumbling around her, Rottytops ran.

Despite the black cloud growing ever closer, she kept her focus on the shifting terrain and collapsing remnants of Town Square that sought to slow her down.

Rottytops dashed along the crater's edge, fueled most of all by Shantae's vacant stare.

But her speed could not match that of the cloud, and before long, she felt it hovering directly overhead.

With the Lighthouse still far from reach, Rottytops looked to Shantae through heavy eyes. "I'm not going to make it! I-I'm sorry, Shantae! I'm so, so sorry!"

As the black cloud swooped down, Rottytops came to a halt, instinctively shielding Shantae with her body. She closed her eyes tight.

* * *

Despite lying paralyzed in the pool of ink, blinded by the black that consumed her eyes, Risky refused to accept defeat.

She tried to summon the strength to move again and again, only to fail each and every time. But she wasn't going to stop. Not as long as she still had the choice to keep fighting.

Then Risky discovered a light.

It broke through the darkness that had stolen her sight, and before long, Risky saw the world once again. As her vision cleared, she started to regain feeling as well.

Risky turned her head toward the light. It was shining from the gift of the Genies that she still had clutched in her hand.

Risky used every ounce of strength she had to stand once more. She took aim at the Phantom Queen and pulled the trigger.

A beam of light shot out from the Crystal Blaster and struck the Phantom Queen.

Risky became transfixed on the beam of light until she realized that she no longer stood alone.

Sky, Bolo, and Mimic were back on their feet. They fired their Blasters, dousing the Phantom Queen with the Cure.

The Phantom Queen writhed until she could bear no more. She dropped her arms, and the black cloud froze in place.

* * *

When Rottytops realized that she remained untouched, she opened her eyes again, peering up at the black cloud that hung motionless in the air above her.

"There's still a chance!" Rottytops said, fighting against her frayed nerves to move out from the cloud's shadow, "we still have a chance!"

She quickly worked herself back into a run once more, finally reaching the edge of Town Square.

Through the whirlwind of dust and debris that continued to spin around her, Rottytops made it to the bridge that separated her from the Lighthouse.

* * *

Risky, Sky, Bolo, and Mimic's assault brought the Phantom Queen to her knees.

But she wouldn't stay down for long.

The Phantom Queen screamed, creating a tidal wave of black ink that knocked them across the room.

The light from the Genies' gift faded, and Risky found herself back in darkness, unable to move.

The Phantom Queen rose, lifting her arms overhead. As soon as she touched the portal, the black cloud stirred to life once again.

* * *

Rottytops reached the Lighthouse where she was greeted by Poe and Abner lying black-eyed and paralyzed on the grass. She gently laid Shantae up against the palm tree before glancing at the black cloud. To her horror, it started to swirl in the air once more.

Wasting no time, Rottytops tore across the yard toward the Lighthouse. She climbed atop the ledge above the door, grabbing the mug of coffee on her way up into a stance.

Glaring at the black cloud that loomed above her, Rottytops brought the mug to her lips and let the Cure run down her throat.

* * *

When Risky discovered that feeling was slowly returning to her, she crawled back on her knees. She lifted her head to find her vision cleared.

Then she heard an ear-piercing screech. The Phantom Queen cried out as her body came apart. Her wailing finally ceased when the last of her sank into the pool of ink.

The Tower began to shake.

With her legs still numb, Risky couldn't get back on her feet.

After failing to stand for a third time, Risky felt someone standing above her. Sky held out a hand for her. Behind Sky, Mimic and Bolo already sat upon Wrench's saddle.

Risky took Sky's hand.

Sky used her free hand to fire her TinkerWhip, latching around Wrench's talon. Taking the cue, Wrench lifted off with Sky and Risky hanging from below.

They flew up through the open ceiling and out into the freezing, thin air. Immediately, Wrench dove, angling away from the Tower. Risky looked back to see a halo of golden light form above the Tangled Tower. Soon, the Tower itself became blanketed in the same golden light before ascending toward the halo. Steadily, the Tangled Tower disappeared into the halo, leaving behind no trace of its existence.

Out of danger's reach, Wrench eased up on their descent, giving them all a chance to breathe again. They circled back around and made their way toward the spot where the Tower once stood.

After finally realizing that she could once again lift her fingers off the Crystal Coffee Blaster, Risky glanced at the inscription and said, "You all think you're so clever, don't you?" With a grin, Risky let the Genies' gift slip from her grasp and watched it fall from view.

Up above, at the edge of the atmosphere, the halo of golden light remained. It shined as bright as the sun, turning the night into day. The light began to emit slow, steady pulses spreading out toward the swirling wall of grey clouds surrounding Sequin Land. Each pulse of light weakened the wall of clouds. Before long, the clouds dissipated into nothing.

As they neared the ground, Risky noticed color returning in patches across the land as if the Grey was evaporating under the soothing golden light from above.

By the time they landed, the bright, bold colors of the earth, water, and sky had returned to Sequin Land once again.

All the people, animals, and monsters who had escaped the Tower burst into celebration.

Risky couldn't stop herself from taking in the sight of humans and monsters dancing, singing, and laughing together.

Out of the corner of her eye, Risky caught a glimpse of something in the near distance, at the very edge of Tangle Forest, emitting a soft glow.

She strolled past the tree line and arrived before a lonely, unmarked gravestone. On the face of the stone, a small circle of light shined.

Risky crouched down in front of the tombstone, studying it with her head slightly cocked to the side and her eyes narrowed.

Her lips curled into a grin.

"Sorry, honey," she said, "but there's only room for one Queen along these Seven Seas."

Risky got up, pulled out her pistol, and fired a bomb shot that stuck at the very heart of the gravestone. As she walked away, the blast left the grave as nothing more than rocks scattered across the forest floor.

* * *

Standing atop the ledge below Shantae's Lighthouse window, Rottytops watched as the sky cleared. The Grey receded, and color returned to Sequin Land.

She looked down at her arms, noticing that her skin had recovered her usual shade of zombie green.

Before long, Shantae, Abner, and Poe sat up, gazing around them in wonder. When Shantae's eyes finally landed on Rottytops, her face beamed.

Rottytops smiled back.

Then the mug slipped from her grasp, shattering on the ground below.

A numbness spread across her body. Rottytops found a look of horror on Shantae's face as she fell from the ledge, landing face-up on the dirt path just before the Lighthouse door.

Shantae, Poe, and Abner rushed to her side. Rottytops saw them talking to her, but she couldn't hear their words.

Rottytops smiled at them one last time. "You're all here," she said, "you're all here."

Then Rottytops drifted away.

* * *

≈ ≈ ≈ **EPILOGUE: BEST WISHES ∞ ∞ ∞**

Leaning against the makeshift fence that bordered the crater, Shantae looked at her Lighthouse in silence. Thoughts continued to race through her mind as they had all morning. So, when her uncle stopped by, Shantae appreciated the much-needed company and the short break from her frantic thoughts.

"So, today's the day . . . ." he said, joining her along the fence.

"Yeah."

"How are you feeling?"

"About as you'd expect."

Mimic nodded.

"Are you going to be there?" Shantae asked, "to see us off?"

"Of course!"

"Good."

"Hey," Mimic said, scratching his beard, "so, you don't have to answer this if you don't want . . . I know it can be, um, difficult . . . difficult to talk about—"

"Uncle," Shantae said, cutting him off mid-ramble, "you can ask me anything, okay? So, go ahead . . . what'd you want to ask?"

Mimic paused. "The tear . . . do you still feel it?"

"Yeah . . . I can still feel it. But that's okay."

"It is?"

Shantae nodded. "Maybe it won't ever go away completely. But it's getting better. Little-by-little. Day-by-day. And do you know what's been helping?"

"What?"

"_You."_

Her response left Mimic speechless.

Shantae smiled. "It's true, Uncle. Talking to you . . . like this . . . it's helped."

"That—That's great," he said, lifting his goggles to wipe his eyes, "that's more than great. That's . . . wonderful, Shantae."

Shantae pulled him into a hug. "I love you, Uncle."

"I love you right back, kiddo. Always."

* * *

As Shantae packed a small bag with a few of her belongings, Sky and Bolo swung by the Lighthouse for a visit.

"So, where you headed?" Bolo asked.

"Oh, um, just off the mainland for a few days . . . to clear my head after everything, you know?"

Bolo bowed his head for a moment. "Yeah . . . I get you . . . ."

They stood in silence for a while before Bolo cleared his throat. "I've, uh, got a surprise for you!"

"Uh-oh," Shantae said, turning to Sky, "should I be excited or terrified?"

Sky shrugged. "I'm just as in the dark as you are. But I'd probably go with terrified."

"All right, Bolo . . . let's hear it."

"Okay . . ." he said, beaming, "get this—you don't have to protect Scuttle Town when you're gone anymore!"

"Um . . . well, it _would_ be tough protecting a town I'm not in."

"Exactly! So . . . that's why I've put together . . . _the Scuttle Town Super Squad!"_

"Wow. Cool name," Sky said.

"You think so?" Bolo asked.

"No," she answered.

Bolo ignored Sky, looking toward the front door. He whistled, causing Shantae and Sky to jump.

"What was that about?" Shantae said, giving Bolo a sideways glance.

"Shush, you'll see," Bolo said, smiling wide.

"Did you just _shush_ me?" Shantae asked before a group of four monsters scurried through the door.

"Were they hiding outside this whole time waiting for you to whistle?" Sky asked.

"Yeah, so?"

"It's just weird."

"You're weird!" Bolo huffed, "anyway . . . let me introduce you to . . . Batty, BirdFace, Dr. GhostPants, and CrabStar!"

"Hi!" Batty said, blushing as she twirled her tail in her hands, "nice to meet you!"

Shantae smiled. "It's nice to meet—"

"Wait!" CrabStar shouted, pointing his claw at Shantae, "sh-she's the Purple-Haired Terror!"

The monsters huddled together, gaping at Shantae in horror.

"Uh . . . what?" asked Shantae.

"No! No!" Bolo said, waving his hands in the air, "Shantae won't hurt you . . . unless cookie-dough ice cream is involved . . . then all bets are off."

"Yeah, I'm no bully! He's right about the ice cream though . . . I've done some things . . . ."

The monsters relaxed a bit before Bolo scanned the room. "Hey, where's the new guy? Brendan or whatever . . . ."

"It's Bran-Son!" shouted a voice from outside.

"You don't have to stand out there . . . you can come inside . . ." Shantae muttered.

Bran-Son stumbled through the door.

Shantae smiled and pointed at him. "I remember you! You're the 'matching purses' guy! I thought you were part of some other hero club. Why'd you join this one?"

"I have no idea!"

The others stared at him, blinking.

"All right," Bolo said, "on that note . . . it's time we got started on our first patrol! Bad guys don't arrest themselves most of the time!"

"No, Bolo . . . don't do that," Shantae warned, "don't arrest anyone. Seriously. You don't have the authority to do that."

"We'll see about that . . . ." he said with a smirk before ushering the other members of the Scuttle Town Super Squad out the door with him.

"No, Bolo—okay, he left already," Shantae said, sighing, "well, at least I know what mess I'll be cleaning up when I get back . . . ."

* * *

Carrying her packed bag around her shoulder, Shantae walked outside with Sky beside her. They stopped to stand along the shore and look out at the waves.

"I-I still can't believe it," Sky said, "it just doesn't feel real."

Shantae kept silent, glancing at her briefly before dropping her eyes to the sand.

"Have you talked to Abner or Poe at all since . . . ?"

"Yeah."

"How are they?"

"They're hanging in there, you know?"

Sky nodded. "And you?" she asked.

"I'm hanging in there, too."

The conversation tapered off until Shantae spotted something on the horizon approaching from the sea.

Risky's pirate ship sailed up as close to the shore as it could go. Atop the main sail stood the Queen of the Seven Seas herself.

"I wonder what she's doing here?" Shantae asked Sky.

"Um . . ." Sky started.

Shantae raised an eyebrow at Sky. "Wait . . . you know about this? What's going on?"

"Hey!" Risky shouted, "let's go, birdie! I don't have all day!"

Shantae stared at Sky with her mouth agape. "Are you trying to tell me—_you joined Risky's crew!?"_

"Just for a little while!" Sky said, "you're leaving . . . Wrench is with his family . . . and so . . . when Risky asked me . . . I—I made a mistake, didn't I?"

"I mean . . . yeah. Probably. Most likely."

Sky sighed.

Shantae smiled at her. "But . . . being a pirate _is_ kind of fun."

"I know, right?"

"_I will shoot you with a cannon if you don't get aboard this ship right now!"_ Risky screamed.

"Yikes," Shantae said, "you better get going."

Sky hugged Shantae before rushing off toward Risky's ship.

After watching them sail away, Shantae peered at her Lighthouse for the final time. Then she started on her way to her next journey.

* * *

When the wagon came to a stop, Shantae's stomach was in knots. She climbed outside where Abner waited for her.

Poe stayed with the wagon to watch over the cargo.

Shantae and Abner nodded to one another before splitting up to start their search through the Village of Lost Souls.

Hours passed, and a familiar sense of dread began to fill Shantae's mind.

She eventually found herself sitting on the same windowsill she used to rest on a month earlier. Leaning her head against the stone that bordered the window, Shantae placed a hand to her heart and started to speak.

"I hope you're doing all right . . . . I just wanted to say that I love you . . . and, um—" Shantae paused as she fought back her tears. "I miss her . . . I really do . . . I wish more than anything to have her back . . . but—but if I can't . . . I-I just . . . I just wish that I knew . . . knew that she—wherever she is right now—that she's—"

"—Good . . . really! I'm doing good!" said a voice.

Shantae lifted her head, looking around but finding no one there. She stood up to investigate further.

Then she heard the voice again.

"I feel . . . like the _real_ me! For the first time since before I—uh, you know what? Let's just say it's been a really long time . . . ."

Shantae's breath caught. She took a few steps in the direction of the voice.

"I still can't believe you got it back for me! Thanks, big guy . . . for everything!"

Out from the nearby building strolled a human girl who swayed to a beat silent to all but her. Through her red-rimmed glasses, she saw Shantae and smiled.

"Hey there, snack cakes!"

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ **The End ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞**


End file.
